by ARCADIA, Wisc. – Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC (Ashley) recently hosted a series of Career Day events to inspire students local to the company’s Arcadia facility about their futures and provide real-world career exposure. Nearly 100 high school students from Arcadia, Blair-Taylor, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, Independence and Whitehall explored career areas across the business.
During their visit, students engaged in the areas of: Design; Distribution and Transportation; and Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology. The groups toured Ashley’s world-class facilities and workspaces, gaining first-hand insight into the industry and met with leaders across departments, sharing their skills, job duties and experiences.
Students explored a range of opportunities during the Career Events:
- Design Day: participants stepped behind the scenes in the design studio and showroom where they explored swatches, materials, and finished products while learning how Ashley design teams turn concepts into reality.
- Transportation and Distribution Day: participants learned about Ashley’s advanced technology systems and expansive transportation network during their tour of the distribution center and truck shop.
- Advanced Manufacturing and I.T. Day: participants gained a real-world look at modern manufacturing processes and 3D printing capabilities while exploring Ashley’s manufacturing facility, Automation Lab, and Advanced Technology Makers Center.
“Before visiting Ashley, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was excited to get a better understanding of the industry,” stated Cayden Platteter, Student, Whitehall School District. “I liked touring the facility and learning how all the teams work together. If I get the opportunity again, I would definitely go back and I hope that more students get to experience a visit like this.”
“Career day provided a great opportunity for students to learn first-hand from designers at Ashley,” stated Jenna Irvine, Art Teacher, Whitehall School District. “During their visit they got a better understanding of the background of each designer, what they work on daily and how they started their design journey. Students enjoyed meeting with the team, touring the facility and left feeling inspired!”
Ashley is proud to continue strengthening educational partnerships that add value to students and the communities. By providing meaningful STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) based learning experiences for K-12 and post-secondary students, the company aims to help students envision and shape their futures while exploring diverse career pathways.
