Kicking Off MRC's 11th Year of 'What's So Cool About Manufacturing®' Berks & Schuylkill

From Manufacturers Resource Center

The Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) is proud to announce the 11th year of “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®” (WSCM) in Berks and Schuylkill counties, where MRC promotes Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in middle school communities. The program introduces young people to exciting career paths in the manufacturing sector.

The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” student video contest provides 7th and 8th grade students with a unique opportunity to connect directly with local manufacturers. Students build on their curiosity and apply their creativity to develop, shoot, edit, and produce a “cool” video to document their experiences.

“MRC is proud to launch ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’ in the Berks and Schuylkill area for its 11th year,” stated Rich Hobbs, MRC President & CEO. “The program’s continued success and impact can be attributed to the dedication of the teachers and students, the engagement of parents, the support from school district administrators, and the commitment of many community stakeholders to building a future workforce.”

Student teams will partner with manufacturers in 12 regions across Pennsylvania this year, competing in regional contests before advancing to the annual Statewide Awards in Harrisburg, where their videos will be showcased. The contest is spearheaded by the Manufacturers Resource Center.

Student teams from 31 Berks and Schuylkill counties’ middle schools are partnering with 31 area manufacturers to produce their video submissions. All videos will be posted on the “What’s So Cool” website (WhatsSoCool.org) and will be open to the public for voting April 5, 2027, for the Viewer’s Choice Award. The Berks Schuylkill Awards Event is scheduled for April 13, 2027, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Reading, PA. Partnering with MRC for the Berks Schuylkill WSCM 2027 program are Berks Business Education Coalition (BBEC), eMediaWorks, and Sahl Communications Inc.

This year, MRC is excited to announce the following participating schools and the featured manufacturers they are paired with:

Student Team	Featured Manufacturer
Blue Mountain Middle School	Carpenter Shalmet
Boyertown Middle School East	American Crane & Equipment Corporation
Boyertown Middle School West	DeLux Dental Laboratory
Brandywine Heights Intermediate & Middle School	Omnitech Automation Inc.
Conrad Weiser Middle School	King Farms
D.H.H. Lengel Middle School	Highwood-USA
Daniel Boone Area Middle School	JGM Fabricators & Constructors LLC
Exeter Junior High School	Remcon Plastics Inc.
Fleetwood Area Middle School	Cambridge Lee Industries
Hamburg Area Middle School	US Anodize
Kerry C. Hoffman Intermediate School	FEAST Food Works
Kutztown Area Middle School	Reading Truck
Mahanoy Area Junior/Senior High School	Northeast Prestressed Products LLC
Minersville Junior/Senior High School	Big B Manufacturers Inc.
North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School	MI Windows and Doors
Oley Valley Middle School	R.M. Palmer Company LLC
Pine Grove Area Middle School	Masser Family of Companies
Reading Central Middle School	Brentwood Industries
Reading Northeast Middle School	Materion Corporation
Reading Northwest Middle School	Eagle Metals Inc.
Reading Southern Middle School	PhytogenX Inc.
Schuylkill Haven Area High School	Ashland Technologies Inc.
Schuylkill Valley Middle School	Giorgi Mushroom Co.
Shenandoah Valley Junior/Senior High School	Hydro Extrusion USA LLC
Tamaqua Area Middle School	Mrs. T’s Pierogies
Tri-Valley Junior/Senior High School	EMD Electronics
Tulpehocken Area Middle School	Alcon
Twin Valley Middle School	Easypak LLC
Williams Valley Junior/Senior High School	Blaschak Anthracite
Wilson Southern Middle School	Sweet Street Desserts
Wilson West Middle School	Penske Racing Shocks

“We are delighted to announce the 11th annual WSCM program in Berks and Schuylkill counties,” said Karen Buck, Director of Workforce Initiatives for MRC. “Middle school teams collaborate with their local manufacturers to explore diverse career opportunities and learn about modern manufacturing environments. We encourage students to consider CTE and STEM education as they prepare for high school and consider future careers. The program creates valuable opportunities for both students and manufacturers.”

Visit WhatsSoCool.org and WSCM Video Library for more information.

About “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®”

Developed by the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), the WSCM program is a video-based educational tool that increases awareness of career paths and technology in manufacturing through “peer marketing” (kids telling kids what’s so cool about manufacturing jobs). The contest is showcased on the What’s So Cool Website and shared nationally through the Manufacturing Institute and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership platforms. The Lehigh Valley contest has expanded across the Commonwealth and the country.

The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” comprehensive manufacturing video library was created by MRC and WSCM PA in 2020 and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PADCED). The interactive library, featuring who’s who in Pennsylvania manufacturing and compiled from the yearly regional contests, is intended to serve as an educational resource for anyone curious about manufacturing in Pennsylvania. The library can be accessed through the WhatsSoCool.org website and contains 1,602 student videos featuring over 700 Pennsylvania manufacturers.

whatssocool.org/video-library

This contest allows students to connect with local manufacturers, document their experiences, and present them in an educational and “cool” way. The contest was created to generate excitement that draws students towards manufacturing career paths and CTE and STEM education. Original funding for “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” was furnished by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PADCED).

About Manufacturers Resource Center

For over 35 years, the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) has helped small and mid-sized manufacturers become more competitive, adopt lean and agile processes, strategically grow their companies, and invest more effectively in their existing human capital. MRC is a nonprofit organization partially funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s NIST-MEP program and the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. MRC is dedicated to creating jobs and economic opportunities in eastern Pennsylvania’s Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.