LINCOLN, Ala. (Feb. 12, 2007) - Area teachers and educators from central and east Alabama traded their classrooms for the manufacturing floor today as part of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama’s fifth annual “What’s Up in Factories?” teacher training program.
Sponsored by Honda in partnership with Alabama Public Television, “What’s Up in Factories” is designed to teach local high school students about professional career paths available in manufacturing. More than 60 area educators traveled to Honda to participate in the program.
“What’s Up in Factories offers students and teachers a new way to look at manufacturing, a new direction for education and a great way realize potential,” said Rick Schostek, senior vice president at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. “Our goal today is to teachers motivate and inspire their students about a wide variety of careers - all of which are found here at Honda and throughout the manufacturing industry.”
Schostek said that Honda’s Alabama operation includes associates who have expertise in a number of areas, including engineering, computer science, accounting, finance, business management, law, human resources, transportation and logistics, materials management and office management.
Monday’s teacher training program is the first step for educators to see first-hand the wide variety of career choices available in a modern manufacturing facility. In addition to a plant tour of Honda’s automotive and engine facility in Lincoln, teachers also participated in a hands-on training workshop to help them explain manufacturing processes to their students.
Through May, the teachers will return to HMA with their students for manufacturing tours of the facility.
Since the program began in 2003, more than 2,500 students and nearly 300 educators have participated in the Honda program. In addition, Honda has distributed $25,000 in classroom grants to participating teachers.
HMA employs more than 4,500 associates at its $1.3 billion facility in Lincoln. Production on its two assembly lines exceeds 300,000 vehicles and V-6 engines annually.