ABOUT THE CONTESTS

The annual What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video contests excite students to explore cool manufacturing careers and produce profiles of companies throughout Pennsylvania. Judges in each regional contest bestow a variety of awards, and each contest features an online vote at WhatsSoCool.org for its Viewers Choice Award.
 

 
Created by the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) in Allentown, PA in 2013, the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? contests draw entries from teams across Pennsylvania. The teams of students and teacher coaches receive camera equipment, software, and professional guidance as they learn to script, record, and edit their video stories. The contest’s objective is to change students’ perceptions about manufacturing careers.

The What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? contests are supported regionally by their sponsors and partners. Production support is provided for several of the contests by eMediaWorks in Center Valley, PA, and additional partners. The contest format also has been adopted by groups in more than a dozen additional states.

CREATION OF THE CONTESTS

Funds to develop the contests were provided in 2013 by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s “Discovered in PA, Developed in PA” program for an MRC project called Lehigh Valley Skill-Up. Original Skill-Up project partners were the MRC, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI), the Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board, and the Da Vinci Science Center.

PENNSYLVANIA CONTESTS

CENTRAL SUSQUEHANNA

Contest Managers: Tanya Dynda, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Milton, PA, 570.523.1155, Ext. 2234
Lauri Moon, Innovative Manufacturers’ Center, Williamsport, PA, 570.329.3200, Ext. 8085

LEHIGH VALLEY

Contest Manager: Karen Buck
Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), Allentown, PA
610.628.4626

NORTHERN TIER PA

Contest Managers: Frank Thompson
Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission, Towanda, PA, 570.265.9103
Ethan Sexton
Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission, Towanda, PA, 570.265.9103

PITTSBURGH CENTRAL

Contest Manager: Scott Deitz
Catalyst Connection, Pittsburgh, PA
412.918.4227

PITTSBURGH SOUTH

Contest Manager: Scott Deitz
Catalyst Connection, Pittsburgh, PA
412.918.4227

BEST OF PA

Contest Manager: Karen Buck
Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), Allentown, PA
610.628.4626