Students from nine middle schools in Chester and Delaware counties are putting their final touches on videos they are producing for the 2024 What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video competition before three days of online public voting beginning Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 12:01 AM. The contest for local students is produced by the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties, a program of the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC).

For the past year, the students have teamed up with local manufacturers to create two-minute video profiles featuring what the manufacturers produce, how they make their products, and why working in a technology-driven environment can be a rewarding career. In addition to being evaluated by a panel of judges, the videos will contend for the Viewer’s Choice Award during three days of online public voting that begins Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 12:01 AM and ends Friday, March 22, 2024 at 11:59 PM.

“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?’s objective is to change students’ perceptions about manufacturing careers,” said Patti Van Cleave, Vice President of Workforce Development and STEM at the Chester County Economic Development Council. “But everyone can learn more about some of our local manufacturers by watching the videos and then choosing their favorite. Last year, 16,983 votes were cast, which was an impressive acknowledgement of the hard work put in by all the students.”

The teams of students and teacher coaches received camera equipment as well as software and professional guidance to help them learn to script, record and edit their video stories.

Participating schools and their company partners in Chester and Delaware counties this year include:

• Coatesville Intermediate High School  – Bender Inc.
• Delaware County Christian School – New Way Air Bearings
• Garnet Valley Middle School – ONExia Inc.
• Great Valley Middle School – JGM
• Northley Middle School – Southco, Inc.
• Octorara Junior High School – Aerzen USA
• Penn’s Grove Middle School – Cleveland-Cliffs
• Phoenixville Middle School – ifm prover
• Renaissance Academy Charter School – United Safety & Survivability Corporation

Penn’s Grove Middle School’s profile of CPV Manufacturing was the winner of the 2023 Viewer’s Choice Award. All videos can be found beginning Wednesday, March 20 at the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? website.

Winners of the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? student video competition for Chester and Delaware counties will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 10, 2024 at Penn State Great Valley in Malvern. Supporters include Platinum Sponsors CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services and County of Chester Department of Workforce Development, as well as Gold Sponsors Delaware County Community College, JGM Inc., and Meridian Bank. 

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact CCEDC Events Director Tracey Oberholtzer at toberholtzer@ccedcpa.com or 610-321-8242.

For more information about CCEDC’s youth programming, including summer career camps, go here.