Introducing the Next Generation to Sign Manufacturing

We see signs every day. They help us find our way, discover businesses, and recognize the places in our communities. But how often do we stop to think about the people who make them?

In October, we welcomed students from SWWC’s Computer Integrated Manufacturing class to our Johnson Sign Co. shop in Ypsilanti for Sign Manufacturing Day. It was an opportunity to show students what goes into a custom sign and how the skills they’re learning in class can lead to a career in our industry.

Connecting the Classroom to the Shop

We started with a presentation introducing students to our company and the opportunities available in sign manufacturing. For students already studying how technology and manufacturing work together, a sign shop offers plenty of connections to explore.

A finished sign brings together creative ideas, technical knowledge, skilled craftsmanship, and problem-solving. Behind the signs students pass each day are people who design, route, fabricate, paint, wire, assemble, and install them. Our goal was to help students see that process and begin to picture where their own interests might fit.

Seeing How Custom Signs Come Together

After the presentation, we headed into the shop for a tour of every stage of our custom sign process. Students met members of our team and got a closer look at the equipment, materials, and work that turn a design into a finished sign.

Along the way, students participated in activities and took home a few things they helped create. It was a chance to have fun while connecting what they’re learning in class with the work happening here in our shop.

The tour gave us a chance to share the details that aren’t always visible once a sign is installed: how its components are made, how lighting brings it to life, and how each department contributes to the final result.

It also gave students an opportunity to connect what they’re learning in class with work happening right here in their community.

Supporting Future Sign Makers

We hosted Sign Manufacturing Day to introduce students to an industry they may not have considered. Their classroom experience already connects with many parts of our work, and we wanted to show them where those skills could take them.

Sharing our shop also means sharing the people behind it. We’re proud of our team and grateful for the time they spent explaining their work, demonstrating their skills, and welcoming students into their day.

Thank you to the International Sign Association (ISA) for encouraging sign companies to open their doors through Sign Manufacturing Day. A special thank you to instructor Trent Trout for making this visit happen and the SWWC students for joining us and taking the time to explore our industry.

We hope the next time these students pass a sign, they’ll see the work behind it and perhaps a future opportunity for themselves.

Interested in learning more about Sign Manufacturing Day or bringing your class to our shop? Visit ISA to learn about the program, and contact our team to explore a visit.