High school students from across the northwest Georgia region and members of the community will get a chance to explore various industrial careers and skilled trades when Georgia Northwestern Technical College holds Industrial Career Day on Friday, Sept. 7, on the Floyd County Campus in Rome.

Kayleen McCabe, host of the cable television program “Rescue Renovation,” will be the featured guest speaker for Industrial Career Day. Her program airs on the DIY network. A contractor and renovation expert, McCabe is a strong advocate of the value of skilled trades and is also a staunch supporter of women entering the construction workforce.

In her television program, McCabe helps homeowners who are having trouble with major renovations and need help getting back on track. McCabe will speak to student groups in the A Building auditorium throughout the day at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1 p.m.

A special afternoon session for business and industry partners, parents, and the community will be hosted by McCabe at 3 p.m. in the auditorium in Building H on the Floyd County Campus on Sept. 7. McCabe’s presentations are free and open to the public.

The Industrial Career Day activities will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Industrial Alley on GNTC’s Floyd County Campus (FCC). The alley is located adjacent to Buildings B, C, D and F which contain a majority of the college’s industrial programs. This will provide a centralized location with access to most of the industrial labs on the Rome campus.

Additional industrial programs from other GNTC campuses, and other locations on the FCC campus, will set up activities and information tables in Industrial Alley.

Visitors should report to the front desk in the A Building on Industrial Career Day. The event is free and open to the public.

Industrial program directors will be on-hand to discuss their programs and provide tours of their labs. There will be demonstrations, simulators, and hands-on learning activities for the industrial programs offered by GNTC. Local employers and former students also will be present to speak with participants about the benefits of learning a skilled trade.

Some of the industrial activities will include a small car show hosted by the Auto Collision program, a bulldozer simulator presented by the Construction Management program, and the Precision Machining and Manufacturing program will provide a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) demonstration.

Cell phone fans will be distributed, while supplies last, and snacks will be provided.

Featured GNTC industrial programs will include Air Conditioning Technology, Auto Collision Repair, Automotive Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Commercial Truck Driving, Construction Management, Cosmetology, Electrical Systems Technology, Horticulture, Industrial Systems Technology, Instrumentation and Controls, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, and Welding and Joining Technology.

As part of the day’s activities, one of the qualifying rounds for the 2018 IDEAL National Championship will take place in the electrical lab in Building C. The competition is a way to showcase the skills of electrical professionals, students, and apprentices.

Winners with the fastest times from each of the territories holding qualifying events are awarded tool kits and the opportunity to compete in the 2018 IDEAL National Championship. The national competition will be held Dec. 2-3, 2018, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Florida and over $600,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded.

In the qualifying competitions, electricians will use IDEAL tools to complete a timed challenge that involves problem-solving skills across five categories: pulling wire, cutting, stripping, termination, and testing. Contestants will be evaluated on speed and accuracy.

“When you learn a skilled trade that’s one of the things that can’t be taken away from you,” said Scottie Carter, director of the Electrical Systems Technology program, who is serving as coordinator for the IDEAL Qualifying Round at GNTC.

Last year Carter placed 22^nd in the nation during the 2017 IDEAL National Championship competition.

Industrial Career Day is sponsored by Georgia Northwestern, City Electric Supply and the 2018 IDEAL National Championship.