Yesenia Otero started as a team member when Pet Supplies Plus relocated its warehousing operations to Seymour in 2012.

She ran equipment for various departments at the facility for several years until she left the company looking for other opportunities.

In 2019, she returned as an administrative assistant. Two years later, she worked her way up to a human resources staffing specialist. This year, she was selected for a mentorship program.

As she and HR Manager Tammy Barker spoke to local high school students on Wednesday for MFG Day, they focused on career development and shared stories of employees, including Otero, who had worked their way up the ladder.

Their goal was to let the students know they can do that, too, whether they choose to go to college or enter the workforce after high school.

“You just have to be open-minded and flexible on your career path because careers, they all change,” Otero said.

The first step is to assess yourself by identifying your strengths and weaknesses.

The second step is to explore career opportunities based on your interests and values, talking to people in the field and discovering what you’re passionate about.

“You don’t want to get a job where you hate going to work every day. You’ve got to like what you have. That way, you keep going every day,” Otero said.

The third step is to set goals, deciding what you want to achieve in a career and how you will get there. The final step is taking steps to achieve your goals and overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way.

“Setting goals will help you stay focused and motivated on your career path,” Otero said.

The main point: Career development is not set in stone. It’s an ever-changing and ongoing process.

“You may also face other types of challenges and opportunities that require you to adjust your plan and your strategies,” Otero said. “That’s why it’s important to keep an open mind and be flexible in your journey. … Remember that career development is not something that happens to you. It’s something that you make happen for yourself. It’s up to you to take charge of your career and make it a fulfilling career.”

Career development was among four workshops in which nearly 200 Jackson County high school students participated on MFG Day.

Organized by Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. and sponsored by the participating industries, this was the third in-person event. During the inaugural one in 2019, only Seymour High School students participated. Then with the COVID-19 pandemic, a virtual option was made available to local schools for two years.

Last year, students from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Seymour and Trinity Lutheran high schools participated. This year, Medora High School students joined the four other schools.

The day started at Cummins Seymour Engine Plant with Plant Manager Darren Kimmel thanking JCIDC and the industries, which also included Silgan Plastics, Dicksons Inc., Aisin USA Mfg. Inc., Lannett Co. Inc. and Pet Supplies Plus.

“We’re very lucky in Seymour to have a lot of manufacturing and a lot of options, so this just gives you a chance to see a few of those,” Kimmel told the students.

Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson also addressed the students, saying it takes people in a variety of roles to make companies successful.

“Keep an eye out for those extra roles that fill in the gaps, as well,” he said. “It is more than just manufacturing. There are a lot of options that make up each one of these plants that you’re going to visit.”

Students then split into four groups to attend workshops. At one, the focus was on human resources, salaries and budgeting. At another one, it was all about communication and working as a team. One of the sessions had Jackson County graduates speak about their path from high school to their current manufacturing job. The other one was about career development.

Kellie Marshall, HR manager at Lannett, and two of her coworkers, Sheila Emerson and Leanne Powell, led the communication workshop. They put students in groups and gave them an envelope containing cut-up pieces of playing cards, and their job was to put as many pieces back together as possible. That included working with other teams to get the pieces they needed.

“Even as competitors, we still have to help one another as a team,” Marshall told the students after the exercise. “We need to continue to work together and not just keep it for yourself and try to be the best and not work as a team. … Be vocal, but don’t be demanding. Not everyone expresses themselves the same way, so just make sure that you understand one another’s communication.”

At the career development workshop, Barker explained the positions available at Pet Supplies Plus and shared employees’ success stories of how they rose through the ranks.

“All of these folks I’m talking about, none have a college education or have taken one college course,” Barker said. “Not that college isn’t important because it is, but those of you that get into a company, if you work hard and you have dedication, that company is going to recognize that, and they are going to help you with career development along the way.”

Barker asked how many of the students currently have jobs and if they like what they do.

“It’s very important for you to enjoy the job that you have,” she said. “You may change jobs many, many times. Believe me, that’s fine. But you should always enjoy the job that you have. If you don’t, then you should be looking to change the job and move on and do something different.”

Barker said she’s passionate about career development, and she’s fortunate to have a great team of people who work for her and she encourages them on a daily basis.

“You are ultimately responsible for your own career development,” she said. “No one else is going to take you by the hand and lead you through your career. It’s not going to happen. You’re going to have some people that help you along the way, but they are not going to walk you through that path day by day. There are so many resources that are out there that are available to you. Learn from that and apply it.”

MFG Day ended with each school visiting an industry or two, where they ate lunch, took tours of the facilities and participated in activities.