Dickinson Area Economic Development Celebrates Manufacturing Day Throughout October

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2021

MFG Day 2021

Iron Mountain, Michigan (October 1, 2021) The Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance joins Bay College West, Northern Initiatives-MMTC, DIISD, Michigan Works, and local manufacturers in marking Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 1, and celebrating the entire month of October.

The goal of Manufacturing Day is to raise awareness about skilled trade careers in manufacturing. Heavy Metal Tours is the Dickinson Area’s take on the annual event. Heavy Metal Tours collaborative gives high school freshmen exposure to area manufacturers to learn more about local trade careers and how they can be part of closing the skills gap within the local industry.

“We are once again extending Manufacturing Day and observing it the entire month with an interactive game that schools can administer in the classroom,” said Lois Ellis, DAEDA executive director. “Although we cannot meet in-person, we see it as an opportunity to reach more students with this information on career paths through the DIISD Tech Center and Bay College West.”

Local manufacturers participating in Heavy Metal Tours/Manufacturing Day are BOSS Snowplow, CCI Systems, Enbridge, Lake Shore Systems, MJ Electric, Systems Control, and Verso. High school freshmen and parents of high school freshmen are invited to learn more at www.heavymetaltours.com and follow the Heavy Metal Tours social channels where facts about working in manufacturing will be shared.

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About DAEDA

The Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance (the Alliance) is a private-public partnership in the Dickinson County, Michigan area, whose mission is to spearhead collaboration, awareness, and outreach to employers, educators and residents in order to spur further development of the greater Dickinson County Area.

About Heavy Metal Tours

Heavy Metal Tours is a collaboration between DAEDA, Bay College, Northern Initiatives-MMTC, the Dickinson-Iron Intermediate School District, and Michigan Works! It exists to educate students, parents, and school personnel about career opportunities in the trades at local Dickinson County manufacturers.

Contact: Lois Ellis, lois.ellis@daeda.org

A New Breed of Economic Developer

Business In Focus

June 2020 

Despite the increasing growth of larger urban centers, newer micropolitan areas are rising to compete. In Michigan’s Dickinson County, on the state’s Upper Peninsula, the Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance has forged strong, private sector-led connections between businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies to help usher in a new era of growth for the region. 

 As a smaller micropolitan area, Dickinson County and its surrounding areas had fallen under the purview of a combined chamber of commerce/economic development organization. But when local business owners believed progress in the region was slowing, they realized a new type of organization was needed.