Students given behind-the-scenes view of Toyota

JACKSON, Tenn. — Local organizations like Toyota came together to highlight potential careers for students.

“We’re very excited to be able to host students from Jackson Central-Merry as part of an initiative with Jackson-Madison County Schools, and Jackson State Community College, and the Chamber of Commerce to support Manufacturing Day in Jackson, Tennessee,” said Jason Bates, the Senior Manager of Human Resources at Toyota.

Manufacturing is celebrated throughout the month of October, but Jackson and Madison County have chosen October 21 of this year to celebrate and inform students of this needed career field.

“Manufacturing is a wonderful career. I’ve had over 20 years of experience in manufacturing, and it’s provided a wonderful experience or wonderful standard of living for my family. And our team members here have been benefited tremendously from from manufacturing in Jackson-Madison County,” Bates said.

The students were introduced to team members of Toyota, current students in the advanced manufacturing technician program at Jackson State who showcased benefits of getting in this field.

“Students from their AMT program is going to present to the high school students about their career path, what they’ve been doing as they’ve been going to school and co-oping here at Toyota and other manufacturers and in Jackson,” Bates said.

“The opportunities that they have for the students who will come work out here, like the AMT program, like I’m excited about that,” said Keeston Palmer, a student.

Once the presentation was completed, students were able to go on a tour of the facility, where they saw real employees doing the work that they could possibly do in the future.

Manufacturing Day has been celebrated in Madison County previously, but this is the first time post COVID-19.

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