Investing in Snohomish County’s Future Advanced Manufacturing Workforce
The 2026 AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour was made possible through a strong partnership between Everett Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center (AMTEC) and Snohomish STEM. Together, EvCC AMTEC and Snohomish STEM worked to sustain this countywide career exploration program for another successful year, ensuring students could connect directly with advanced manufacturing training pathways and local employers.
When funding was not yet secured for this year’s program, industry and community sponsors stepped forward to help ensure students could continue accessing this hands-on, career-connected experience tied to one of the region’s most important industries.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Presenting Sponsors
Partner and Community Sponsors
Sponsor support helped make it possible for students to explore AMTEC’s state-of-the-art training labs, engage with advanced manufacturing pathways, hear from faculty and local professionals, and begin seeing themselves in high-demand careers available right here in Snohomish County.
By the Numbers
400+ high school students participated in the 2026 AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour
21 schools represented
45% of students were in grades 11th-12th (students closest to near-term career decisions)
84% of students rated the event highly, giving it a 4 or 5 out of 5 for value
62% of students strongly agreed they could imagine themselves in a manufacturing job one day
42% of students indicated strong likelihood of attending AMTEC
33% overall increase in student knowledge of manufacturing jobs
What Partnership Made Possible
Support from sponsors, employer presenters, education partners, and community organizations helped turn a high-demand career exploration opportunity into a real experience for students.
Together, partners made it possible for students to access:
- Hands-on exposure to advanced manufacturing pathways in welding, precision machining, composites, engineering technology/design, and mechatronics
- Direct engagement with local professionals, faculty, and current or former AMTEC students
- Materials and student project supplies that made the experience tangible and memorable
- Career exploration access for students across Snohomish County
- Early awareness of training pathways that lead to high-demand, family-wage careers in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, utilities, automation, and related industries
For students, this was more than just a tour. It was a chance to see the tools, technologies, people, and training pathways behind careers they may not have previously understood or considered.
Student Survey Results: What We Learned
Students who participated in the 2026 AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour completed a brief post-event survey focused on career awareness, event value, interest in AMTEC, and whether students could imagine themselves in a manufacturing career one day.
The survey used a 1-5 scale, with higher scores indicating stronger agreement, greater value, or higher likelihood. Results should be interpreted within the context of this survey, with higher scores reflecting more positive student responses.
Key Findings
- Students could see manufacturing as a possible future pathway.
62% of students rated their ability to imagine themselves in a manufacturing job one day as a 4 or 5 out of 5. This is a strong outcome for a broad career exploration program because it shows many students left with a clearer sense that manufacturing could be relevant to their own future. - Interest in AMTEC emerged as an early pathway signal.
42% of students rated their likelihood of attending AMTEC as a 4 or 5 out of 5. While this should not be viewed as a direct enrollment prediction, it suggests a substantial portion of students left the event considering AMTEC as a possible future training option. - Students found the experience valuable.
Students rated the event an average of approximately 4.2 out of 5, with about 84% rating the event highly. This indicates that students found the hands-on, career-connected format engaging, relevant, and worth their time. - Students left with stronger knowledge of manufacturing careers.
Students’ combined knowledge score increased from 1,026 before the event to 1,520 after the event, a 494-point gain and 33% overall increase. This shows the event helped close an awareness gap around what manufacturing jobs are and how students can prepare for them. - Hands-on learning made career pathways feel real.
Student comments frequently highlighted welding, water jet cutting, machining, composites, robotics, mechatronics, CAD/design, and the take-home project. These interactive experiences helped students connect technical training to real careers.
What Students Valued Most
Student comments showed four strong themes:
Hands-on learning made the experience memorable
- Students remembered what they could see, touch, build, and observe. Many highlighted welding, machining, the water jet, composites/carbon fiber, robotics, and the take-home phone stand project.
Students learned about career options they had not previously considered
- Many students specifically mentioned learning about different job opportunities, different pathways, training options, pay, and how AMTEC programs connect to employment.
Advanced manufacturing felt creative, technical, and exciting
- Students responded to the modern, high-tech side of manufacturing. Comments referenced aerospace, carbon fiber, robotics, composites, CNC machines, CAD/design, mechatronics, and the water jet.
Employer and pathway connections mattered
- The presence of faculty, current and former students, and local employers/professionals helped students understand how training connects to real jobs. This is where workforce investment becomes tangible: students begin to connect classroom learning, technical training, and local career opportunities.
Student Reflections
Selected student comments included:
- “I learned I love aerospace.”
- “Seeing all the different pathways to take.”
- “I learned how most jobs work and what they do.”
- “Learning about all the career pathways in manufacturing.”
- “There are so many options and access to careers.”
- “The robots help build airplanes.”
- “A lot of AMTEC programs involve making cool things.”
- “How much money you can make.” | “Some companies pay for your schooling.”
- “AutoCAD engineering.” | “Enjoyed the water jet.” | “The composites and welding.”
- “Making the phone stand.”
These reflections show that students connected with both the hands-on experience and the larger career pathway message. They were learning what manufacturing is, and they were beginning to understand where it could take them.
Shared Takeaway
The 2026 AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour shows the value of investing early in workforce awareness. Students cannot pursue careers they do not know exist, and many students need direct, hands-on experiences to understand what modern manufacturing looks like.
Thanks to the combined support of sponsors, employer presenters, educators, and community partners, students gained exposure to advanced manufacturing technologies, local training pathways, and career possibilities connected to Snohomish County’s economy. The strongest outcomes were not only increased knowledge, but increased imagination: students could better picture themselves in manufacturing, technical training, and future careers connected to aerospace, automation, machining, welding, composites, engineering technology, and mechatronics.
This is what investing in our future workforce looks like: students seeing what is possible, employers helping build awareness of in-demand careers, and education partners working together to strengthen the talent pipeline that will support Snohomish County’s advanced manufacturing economy for years to come.
Related Event Recap: Read our May 4 post, AMTEC 2026 Manufacturing Day Tour Connects Students to Advanced Manufacturing Careers, for highlights from the event week and student experience.
FAQ
What is the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour?
The AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour is a three-day career exploration program hosted by Everett Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center (AMTEC). High school students from across Snohomish County explore hands-on training pathways in welding, machining, composites, engineering technology/design, and mechatronics while learning about local advanced manufacturing careers.
Learn more about the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour here.
Who is the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour for?
The AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour is designed for Snohomish County high school students who are exploring career pathways in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, skilled trades, engineering technology, and related high-demand fields.
How does Snohomish STEM support the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour?
Snohomish STEM partners with EvCC AMTEC to help sustain and strengthen the program through employer engagement, sponsorship support, partner connections, and storytelling that highlights the value of career-connected learning for students and the regional workforce.
AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour (with Everett Community College) is one of the collaborative programs that Snohomish STEM supports in partnership with our future workforce partners. Additional supported programs include as Girls Explore STEM (with WSU Everett) and Expanding Your Horizons (with Edmonds College). Snohomish STEM’s signature career-connected learning programs include ECHO Tour℠, Explore I.T. Careers℠, Spring into STEM℠, and STEM Like Me!®.
How can organizations get involved in the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour?
Employers, industry partners, and community organizations can support the AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour by sponsoring the program, participating as employer presenters, sharing career pathway information with students, or helping connect students to real-world advanced manufacturing opportunities.
