Nearly 300 Mobile and Baldwin County high school students attended a career fair Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at AIDT's Maritime Training Center in Mobile.

Jeff Lynn, senior executive director of workforce and economic development for the two-year college system, said Tuesday's event was co-hosted by ACCS and AIDT to give students a glimpse of 21st-century manufacturing careers.

"With two years of education, our students can enter the workforce with no debt and make a good living to support themselves and their families," Lynn said. "We want students in Alabama to know these opportunities exist."

Jacqueline Allen, communications manager for AIDT, said the agency's partnership with the two-year college system "allows Alabama to produce people who are ready for careers."
"These are high-skill, high-demand, high-salary jobs," Allen said. "You need training for them. When you're finished with your training, you can find jobs that pay $40,000 or $50,000 a year."

In addition to presentations by Coastal Alabama and Bishop State community colleges, students interacted with industry representatives from Austal USA, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Wesco, Alabama Power Co., Technical Training Aids, Mitternight Boiler Works, Performance Contractors and the Alabama National Guard.

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