“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®” Launches in Colorado, Connecting Students to Real-World Careers

 

Colorado Manufacturing Network kicks off statewide career awareness video competition for middle school students

 

Denver, CO–February 2, 2026–  Manufacturer’s Edge, is proud to announce the official launch of What’s So Cool About Manufacturing® (WSCM) in Colorado—a hands-on, project-based career awareness program designed to introduce middle school students to the innovation, technology, and opportunity found in modern manufacturing.

Launching in fall 2025 and culminating in an awards celebration on April 23, 2026, the program pairs 7th and 8th grade student teams with local manufacturers across the Colorado and Denver Metro region. Together, students and manufacturers collaborate to create short, student-produced videos that showcase real careers, advanced technologies, and the people behind the products that keep Colorado’s economy moving.

“Manufacturing touches every part of our lives, yet most students don’t realize just how many opportunities exist right in their own communities,” said Rob Newbold, Vice President of Client Success at Manufacturer’s Edge and Colorado’s WSCM contest lead. “This program flips the script. It puts students inside real manufacturing environments, lets them ask real questions, and helps them see themselves in careers they may never have considered. That kind of exposure is powerful—and it’s exactly what workforce development should look like.”

Colorado is home to more than 6,800 Manufacturers, many of which offer family-sustaining wages, hands-on learning pathways, and long-term career growth. Yet workforce shortages remain one of the industry’s greatest challenges. WSCM addresses this gap by building early awareness—not just among students, but also among families, educators, and the broader community.

“This is about more than a video competition,” said Glenn Plagens, CEO of Manufacturer’s Edge. “It’s about changing perceptions, strengthening talent pipelines, and showing young people that manufacturing is innovative, creative, and essential to Colorado’s future. When students can see what’s possible—and meet the people doing the work—it opens doors that can shape their entire career path.”

The inaugural Colorado WSCM program proudly includes the following student-manufacturer teams:

Throughout the program, students receive guidance through a structured curriculum, media training resources, and professional support in storytelling, teamwork, and video production. The experience culminates in public online voting and a celebratory, Emmy-style Awards Event in spring 2026, recognizing student achievement and manufacturer engagement. This inaugural Colorado pilot is made possible through the generous support of BlueForge Alliance, whose investment is helping launch the program statewide and is vital to expanding early awareness of manufacturing career pathways for Colorado students.

As the program expands, Colorado-produced videos will become part of the national What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Video Library, serving as a long-term educational resource for classrooms, workforce programs, and communities statewide.

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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 of the who’s who in Pennsylvania manufacturing, garnered 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 almost 1436 student videos featuring over 700 Pennsylvania manufacturers.

https://www.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)

As Colorado’s official Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center, Manufacturer’s Edge provides onsite support, strategy, planning, training, and technical assistance to manufacturers of all sizes. Colorado’s unique manufacturing landscape has given them experience across industries. Their clients drive technology development, creativity, and new products, and they work closely with them to make sure their work reaches its intended audience. Local insights, diverse experience, and true dedication to providing manufacturers support – use the support they provide to empower your decisions as you continue to grow and improve the manufacturing landscape.