Local Students Explore Careers in Forging on Chamber-led tour in Waterloo

The Quad Cities Chamber recently led a student tour to John Deere Waterloo Works Foundry and the Foundry 4.0 Center at the University of Northern Iowa, giving 13 students from the Rock Island YWCA summer program and 5 adults a hands-on look at careers in casting, forging and advanced manufacturing.  

Pre-tour training on workplace expectations and career readiness for the YWCA students, primarily juniors and seniors in high school, was provided by Stacy Jones, Strategic Partnership Specialist with Goodwill of the Heartland. The dual tour setup allowed students to experience both John Deere’s industrial foundry operations and cutting-edge UNI Applied Engineering Programs for casting and forging.  

“UNI and John Deere have already extended an open invitation to return, and we look forward to future collaborations,” said Jamie McLaughlin, Workforce Specialist at the Quad Cities Chamber. 

This opportunity was made possible through support from the Illinois Defense Manufacturing Consortium (ILDMC), which includes the Quad Cities Chamber as a key partner in a $5 million workforce and innovation initiative. Thanks to a 5-year grant (beginning in 2022) from the U.S. Department of Defense's Manufacturing Community Support Program, the Chamber’s Manufacturing Hub is helping prepare the next generation for in-demand careers in the defense manufacturing supply chain. 

 If your company is interested in showcasing manufacturing careers through tours, job shadows or open houses please reach out on the "Talk to Us" tab to the right of this page.