Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast where I interview young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.

For this episode, I welcome Erin Sorensen, a 27-year-old director of the Innovation Hub, or iHub, at Northeast Community College in Nebraska.  

Sorensen’s professional experience includes time with Kawasaki and working in food manufacturing before transitioning to her current position, where she looks to promote innovation and manufacturing careers and provide skilled training through partnerships with existing businesses. 

In this episode, Sorensen discusses:

• Getting kids into manufacturing at a young age
• Why the industry is failing to gather interest
• Using the Innovation Hub (iHub) to create a lifelong learner
• The biggest disconnects between Gen Z and older generations 
• Values held by Gen Z that older workforces overlook 
• How Gen Z negotiates and their dealbreakers
• How employers can manage Gen Z’s tendency to seek new job opportunities 

Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with Nolan Beilstein at nolan@ien.com.

Download and listen to the audio version below and click here to subscribe to the Today in Manufacturing podcast.