Voting begins for Lehigh Valley’s What’s So Cool About Manufacturing contest

Voting begins today for the eighth year of the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” Lehigh Valley contest.

Organized by the Manufacturers Resource Center, the contest pairs area manufacturers with middle-school students who teach them about the work they do. Later, the students create a video about what’s so cool about the manufacturer.

The contest, which started in the Lehigh Valley, but has now spread across the state with individual local contests, is designed to encourage young people to explore careers in manufacturing, where there is a high demand for skilled labor.

Members of the public can vote through April 9 for what they think is the best of the student videos. Those students will be honored with this year’s “Viewers Choice Award.”

A panel of judges will award honors in six other categories including Outstanding Career Pathway and Outstanding Creativity.

While the MRC usually hosts a large event to celebrate the wrap up of the competition, this year’s awards program will be taped in advance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will then be aired on WFMZ TV and streamed on WFMZ.com on April 26 at 7 p.m.

Members of the public can view the videos and vote at  https://www.whatssocool.org.