Manufacturing & Trades Day

Each year, NWILED, in partnership with Jo Daviess Carroll Career Technical Education Academy (CTEA), hosts a manufacturing day educational career event. It is an occasion during which manufacturers, trades, and logistics companies open their doors to showcase the potential of modern manufacturing and to foster interest in related careers. All high schools in Carroll and Jo Daviess Counties are invited to participate.

Annually, over 300 students attend this event and are exposed to a varied group of industries ranging from traditional manufacturing to transportation, healthcare, and energy. This regional event was last held on October 8, 2025. Helping facilitate the experience were over 30 area businesses and agencies, some with multiple overlapping roles, which included JCE Co-op, Adkins Energy, Riverport Railroad, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions, MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions: Metform, East Dubuque Nitrogen Fertilizers, Signcraft Screenprint, Neumiller Farms, Citizens State Bank, Galena Area Chamber of Commerce, Carroll County Highway Department, Village of Stockton Public Works, ITC Midwest, Origin Design, Business Employment Skills Team, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Galena Roasters, University of Illinois Extension 4-H, Morrison Institute of Technology, WPPO, DC Rise Real Estate, Jo Daviess County Highway Department, Highland Community College, Nicor Gas, Invasive Media & Sound Safe.ai, Visit Northwest Illinois, Forster Products, Ergotips, Midwest Medical Center, 4-C: Community Coordinated Child Care, and Hudson's Tack & More.

2025 Press Release

NWILED's next Manufacturing & Trades Day event is tentative for October 2026.

To involve your business in this next year's event, email NWILED Regional Director, David Schmit, at dschmit@nwiled.org.