With the school year getting closer, we’re also getting closer to that ever-important task of figuring out our lives. What we’re going to do after graduation, where we want to work, and even how we hope to achieve all of those goals.

And there’s a possibility that you may have seen our examples of careers in manufacturing and wondered how you could get involved in manufacturing yourself.

Today, we’re going to tell you a few options you have for getting a start in manufacturing in Nebraska. Whether you’re in high school, college, or anywhere else, we think that you’ll find some useful information below:

1. InternNE. The program, also known as InternNE, is a relatively new program designed to give students easy access to internships all across the state of Nebraska. Local businesses post their job information, and anyone can browse/contact employers. If you’re hoping to land a manufacturing internship after high school, this is a great resource. You can find more information .

2. NEworks.  is a lot like InternNE, except instead of being strictly for internships, NEworks is for jobs. Remember that just because something doesn’t say “internship” doesn’t mean that it can’t be one. If you’re interested in getting a start in manufacturing, reaching out to employers via networks like these can be a good starting point. You can see jobs all over the state, and NEworks is absolutely full of great job openings all across the industry.

3. Dream !t Do !t.  was created to reach “out to students, parents, educators and businesses to highlight education paths to obtain skills that lead to good paying careers in manufacturing and related businesses”–at lot like us here at Manufacturing Nebraska. They have a number of resources and contacts available for anyone–student, parent, or otherwise–who may want to start a career in manufacturing, and we definitely recommend checking them out if this is something that interests you.

4. Local colleges. If you’re looking for a more long-term solution, local colleges like Southeast Community College and  are a great way to get your foot in the door. Both are accredited, both have partnerships with local manufacturers, and both have great placement programs to help you find a job when you graduate. They’ll work with you to get you a start in the manufacturing community, and are one of our most highly-recommended routes to take for anyone looking to get involved.

5. Local manufacturers. Finally, a somewhat unconventional approach to getting information on getting a start in manufacturing is to contact manufacturers themselves. For example, if you know of a local manufacturer that you think you’d like to work for, you may consider reaching out to that employer directly and seeing what path they recommend. Different manufacturers require different skills, so if you already know who you want to work for, few people can give you better information on required education or training than the manufacturers themselves.

Manufacturers, technical schools, and many others are always willing to help out anyone who is considering a job in a technical field like manufacturing. Often times, all you have to do is reach out, and we bet you’ll be surprised at the amount of help you’ll receive.

Whatever approach you decide to take, remember that jobs in manufacturing are a great way to get around the student debt that affects so many people all around the country. There are lots of internships, jobs, and grants out there for anyone interested in manufacturing, so don’t be afraid to dive right in!

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