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Manufacturing Day – Preparing Students for Success

December 1, 2016

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This is our Product Tech Division in Maple Lake, MN. Pace Product Tech Division is an integrated magnesium resource for product development from concept to solution.

Here at Pace Industries, we recognize the importance of being passionate about your work, which is why we participate in Manufacturing Day. For three years now, we have invited students into several of our production facilities to give them a glimpse into modern manufacturing and to inspire them to pursue it as a career.

This year, we had a total of 1,228 students visit Pace Industries during October. Attendees ranged from 7th grader through college-aged students. Each Friday in October, at least one of our facilities held a Manufacturing Day event. The Harrison Division hosted two days due to the high volume of students involved in the area. Ethan Robinson, our workforce coordinator, is responsible for connecting with schools and confirming their participation. “I contact about 75 schools in the United States, including technical schools, universities and high schools,” said Robinson.

This is Robinson’s second year coordinating Manufacturing Day, and his learnings from 2015 helped shape his plans for 2016. “Last year, we really focused on the products that we made because we wanted to awe the students,” Robinson reminisces. “After talking to them last year, we learned that what they want to know about is careers.” With that knowledge, he decided to revamp the Manufacturing Day material to be more job-focused. During the students’ visit, we chose to highlight positions that we predict will be in demand when they are completing school and entering the workforce. “We’re looking to get the word out to let kids know manufacturing is a viable career path,” said Robinson.  Robotics is becoming a more prominent part of the industry so there is a lot of encouragement to pursue some kind of automation training.

During Manufacturing Day, students go on a plant tour in which they are able to see every part of the facility and learn about the different machines we work with. Afterwards, they are given the opportunity to ask associates questions they may have about the work and career opportunities available at Pace. When they leave our facility, we hope they walk away with useful information about careers they may have not formerly considered as well as how to pursue them.

We are very proud of the work we do here, and every year we look forward to the opportunity to ignite a similar passion in students that could soon help us grow professionally. As Robinson states, “The kind of work we do requires us to be proactive so we have decided to prepare the surrounding areas for the work we’re going to have. In just three short years, we can already see an impact. We’ve seen a definite uptick in the number of students applying for internships and youth apprenticeships at Pace.”

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Bob D’Ortona, vice president at our Cambridge Division in North Billerica, MA, gives a tour to students from Shawsheen Valley Technical High School. They are looking at an Aluminum melting furnace with 20,000 pound capacity.

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Lee Kittle, die cast manager at Pace Industries, Port City Division in Muskegon, MI, hosts students from the Muskegon Area Technological Center.  He is showing them an 850 ton die cast machine.

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Hannah Niblett, talent sourcing specialist, poses with a group of Harrison High School students at our Arkansas based Harrison Division.

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Bob D’Ortona doing tours with one of our QC engineers, Anne-Marie Buchenan. They are discussing and viewing a Mori Seiki NHX 5000 horizontal machining center.

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Product Tech Division – Lynne McIntosh, safety manager, shows Maple Lake High School students the S56 Vertical Machining Center in the tool room. 

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Product Tech Division – Homeschooled students and some from Maple Lake High School listen to a presentation about our products, career opportunities within Pace and educational paths they should take for those careers.

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Educating the Next Generation of Associates

May 12, 2016

The fact that Pace is the largest custom die casting company in North America is the direct result of our associates’ experience and hard work. Our company is staffed with some of the most talented professionals in the industry. In order for us to keep growing and innovating, it’s essential we recruit from a well-trained talent pool.

We’re faced with a unique situation, though. America is experiencing what educators and industry officials call the “skills gap.” This refers to the disparity between the high number of jobs opportunities and the low number of qualified applicants. With technology making huge advances every day, jobs are becoming more and more technical, thus requiring more education. The problem is that students aren’t seeking education in these areas. They believe trade skill jobs are a dead end, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Students who have knowledge of these trade skills are more valuable than ever, allowing them to achieve high wages and rapid job growth potential.

Our company is dedicated to finding these students with knowledge of our industry and offering them an opportunity to begin an excellent career. These students are the future of Pace. And we expect the same qualities from all associates, whether they have 35 years of experience or are fresh out of high school. We want our associates to join in our culture of innovation, excellence and dedication.

Part of our solution is to put strategic programs in place to help develop incoming talent. We’ve offered job shadowing, internship opportunities and now have a new scholarship program. This new program is called Pace Scholars and is available for students attending North Arkansas College (NAC) in Harrison, Ark. who have an interest in manufacturing. There are a total of 20 individual $1,000 scholarships available to high school seniors on their way to NAC. For anyone interested in applying, contact our HR team.

Our customers have great needs in quality and production, and we have to be prepared to meet those higher needs and perform well. The bottom line is that recruiting is at the top of our list when it comes to making smart investments for the company. We want to continue growing, and training and hiring the best associates will remain the key to our success. As our clients see our new successes with our talent and technology, our business partnerships will grow.

About Pace Industries

Pace Industries is North America’s leading full-service aluminum, zinc and magnesium die casting company. Pace is a solution provider, offering a wide array of capabilities and services, including: advanced engineering, tool making, prototyping, precision machining, assembly, finishing and painting. Headquartered in Fayetteville, Ark., Pace operates 12 divisions, 21 manufacturing facilities and has more than 4,000 associates across the U.S. and Mexico. Learn more at paceind.com.

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5 Things A Potential Pace Employee Should Know

September 11, 2015

Chase Foster
Talent Sourcing Specialist

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Pace is a growing company with fifteen locations in the United States and Mexico and the leader in custom die casting in North America. As a result of our growth, we are looking for potential employee to join our team. Finding a job that is right for you can be very difficult. Pace Industries wants you to carefully read the job description and decide whether the position is a good fit for yourself and your family. Stop and think before you hit that “apply now” button and create a job application that will get you noticed by Pace. Here are five things to think about before completing your application:

  1. Be honest about what you can do with your abilities. Few people will have all the skills needed on a new job.  But, if you have had similar experiences that would make the job easier to master make sure to mention them. Most importantly, figure out what you have to offer Pace. Always update your social profiles before applying to a new job. When we research your job history, we’ll want to find the skills and abilities that are already listed on your resume.
  2. Write about a problem you’ve solved before or can solve as it relates to the opening you are applying for. Any skills you can bring with you to a new job is going to be a plus for us here at Pace. Anything we do not have to train you on is a benefit and makes you a more valuable hire.
  3. Be realistic in your compensation expectations. Pay is a big component of your benefit package, but things like vacation time, insurance, chance for advancement and work environment go a long way in making a quality work life. So, make sure you look at the entire package and not just the dollars. Also, make sure you research the company and location. Compensation varies greatly around the United States and it’s important to know the environment if you’re relocating.
  4. Make sure your family is behind you and supports you in this new career. Change is hard on not just you but everyone around you. Learning new skills and a new work environment can affect your mood, which will affect everyone in your household. So, make sure they understand your career path and your immediate focus.
  5. Commit to investing in your career through your own personal efforts and growth. Any new job and work environment will present a whole host of opportunities for you to improve your skill set. Make sure you’re open to the challenge, willing to try new ways of doing things and be optimistic about change.

If after reviewing the above steps, you feel ready to proceed,  go ahead and APPLY NOW! Pace offers great potential for a long future in the manufacturing industry.  We are excited about reviewing your application and look forward to fitting your skills and expertise into the perfect position.

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Pace Industries: A Day In the Life

July 16, 2015

Pace Industries is the leading full-service die casting company in North America. Our Harrison warehouse is more than 600,000 square feet where we specialize in die casting zinc, aluminum and magnesium.

Die casting is a quick and more cost effective production process that produces a high volume of parts than other casting processes.

Aluminum die casting has become the first option among buyers worldwide because of its cost effectiveness and the various finishes it can be cast in. This is possible because its structure is light, strong, corrosion resistant, non-staining, non-magnetic and highly conductive. Buyers in this industry also like that the aluminum alloy is 95% post-consumer recycled material, making the die casts green and sustainable.

Some of our capabilities include Robotic Extraction, Hot Oil Die Heaters, Automated Sanding Cells and much more.

Our die cast machines ranging from 600-1800 ton allows us to serve many industries.

Get to know us a bit better by taking a look at a day in the life at Pace Industries.

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