Advanced Manufacturing Field Trip to Waters Corporation

Some of the students who visited Waters Corporation were Kyle Bernard, Hunter Claflin, Kaytlin Forget, Ne’kayla Gilbert, Emma Hennessy, Kenneth Horne, Colton Howard, Salome’ Lopez Caicedo, Zechariah March, Erika Our, Grace Parker, Jordan Provost, Adam Ranslow, Caden Roy, Shayleigh Smith, Colin Squier, Molly Stinchfield, and Brayden Wilcox. They were joined by Mrs. GravesonPayne.

On Tuesday, October 30, 2018, twenty 7th and 8th grade students from Douglas Middle School participated in a STEM career exploration program by visiting the 60 year old international advanced manufacturer Waters Corporation in Milford, MA. The program, which coincided with Massachusetts Manufacturing Month, was sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation (BVEF). Students from Hopedale, Millbury, and Webster also attended the program.

The students began their day with a welcome session conducted by management that introduced them to the global reach of the company and its products. Waters makes equipment involved in chemotherapy, medical diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, food safety, neonatal testing, water quality, and sustainability. They are a $2.3 billion dollar company with 7,000 employees worldwide, 1,600 of which are in Milford. Employees conducted tours of the facility, including production areas, research and development, and product inventory. The focus of the tour was to inform students about the multiple STEM career areas in a large global manufacturer. Tours were followed by a panel presentation and discussion relating to how individual workers and managers became involved in their jobs. Waters Corporation furnished delicious morning snacks and a yummy lunch. They also provided students with a few mementos from their day.

After the trip, the students who attended shared some of their thoughts.

What was something you learned and/or that surprised you?

They help make foods and water clean to eat or drink. They also break things in order to see how to make them better.

That you don't have to even graduate to start your career.

(Several employees started when they were high school students as part of BVT’s Co-Op program.).

Something that I learned on the Waters Corporation field trip is that there are tools that are the size of about half a hair follicle and they is used to make a hole in metal. The machines can carve different designs in something, like the Red Sox symbol.

What was the best part of the trip?

The best part of the field trip was probably the tour because it really shows you the behind the scenes of machinery and how it is used. The tour also tells you about how STEM is used daily in their jobs.

I enjoyed when the employees got up and told us what they had to do to get to their rank in their jobs.

I liked going on the tour and seeing the different areas. It was cool to see all the machines that are needed to make the technology Waters makes.

How would you describe this field trip to other students?

You get to go on a tour of a manufacturing plant. It's cool.

The field trip was a great experience and if you’re interested in anything with mechanical engineering, then you should definitely go to Waters Corporation.

The way I would describe this field trip to other students is that it is a wonderful experience that is life changing and very cool. The trip teaches you about the different kinds of “trades” and how they are used in daily life and also the machinery and how it creates the smallest and most life changing elements.

Douglas Middle School is a member of Blackstone Valley Education Foundation. BVEF provides numerous career-oriented on-site learning experiences throughout the academic year that extend classroom learning experiences for students, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators of member school districts.   Another STEM Field Trip Opportunity for 7th and 8th Graders

In honor of Manufacturing Month (October), the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation is sponsoring a field trip to Waters Corporation in Milford, MA during the school day on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. Waters Corporation is an analytical laboratory instrument and software company whose primary focus is in the life sciences industry. They will provide a facility tour, discussions with employees representing several aspects of career fields within advanced manufacturing, and a luncheon program that will feature speakers and panel discussions. There is no cost to the students. Students will be expected to make up all work from the classes they will miss in a timely fashion.

Students who are interested in participating in this field trip should complete and submit the application form linked below no later than Sunday, October 14th. You will receive notification and a paper permission slip on 10/15 if you are chosen to participate.

Please apply by clicking on the link below: Waters Corporation Manufacturing Trip Application

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. GravesonPayne, [email protected]