Detroit students tour through LM Manufacturing plant in Southwest Detroit, as part of the company’s annual Manufacturing Day to show local youth opportunities in skilled trades. Photo: Samuel Robinson
More than 200 students from six Detroit schools toured the inside of the LM Manufacturing facility in Southwest Detroit as part of the automotive company’s fourth annual Manufacturing Day.
“For the people here to take the time out to include young people and make them feel wanted makes you actually want to build a future in it,” Pentecostal Christian Academy sophomore Isaiah Clay, 15, told Michigan Chronicle.
Clay is also enrolled at Philip Randolph Career and Technical Center, which prepares students for high-wage careers in construction, trades and design technology. He said in an interview Thursday inside the facility where he watched Ford car seats being made that he wants to become an electrician and start a business after he graduates high school.
Clay is one of the dozens of students who raised their hand when asked whether they would be interested in an internship at the auto parts facility.
Randolph CTC was one of the schools that brought students to the event, including César Chávez Academy High School, Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, Southwestern High School, Renaissance High School and Osborn High School.
Representatives from General Motors, Comerica Bank, Chase, Wayne State, Lear, Toyota, Wayne County Community College District, Henry Ford Health and Central Michigan University were stationed at tables sprawled throughout the plant to meet and connect with high school students planning for what’s next.
The Southwest Detroit facility at 6401 W Fort St. was once home to a Sakthi Automotive supply plant before LM Manufacturing took over the 300,000 square foot facility.
Sakthi Automotive closed its supply plant in 2019.
“We submitted applications to MEDC and the DECG, letting them know that we had an opportunity to win this program,” President and CEO Sylvester Hester said in an interview Thursday. “We were competing against Ohio because from a logistics standpoint, they could have put the program anywhere.”
“I love Detroit, so I was very interested in being in Detroit. Ford doesn’t tell you where to put your facilities but if you’re intuitive, you see they just made a billion dollar investment at Michigan Central Station, made investments at NewLab to create a startup ecosystem. And now, with all of the many startup suppliers in NewLab, they were hoping that the extended ecosystem with manufacturing companies like us right here in town.”
Since 2023, LM Manufacturing — a joint venture between Magna and Lan Manufacturing — develops automotive seating for Ford Broncos and other models.
President and CEO Sylvester Hester toured Michigan Chronicle through the plant before speaking to students on stage about his company’s “C Power” mantra, caring, commitment, connection, communication and celebration. Hester says those values underpin the pillars of LM Manufacturing: health, wealth and education.
LM MAnufacturing’s Expose 2 Inspire program partners with 18 Detroit schools to walk students through the difference facets of manufacturing.
“We invite them to come to our place for a job shadow, where then we bring them in and walk them through all the five disciplines of manufacturing, and then they can work on projects,” said Jimmie Comer, the leadership and development specialist at LM Manufacturing. “Those who are still interested, we do internships which lead to job opportunity.”
The number of students that participate grows larger every year, Comer said.
Showing young people there are opportunities they might not have been ever able to picture themselves is important in Detroit, says Zona Stewart, a Manufacturing Day volunteer from Rocket Mortgage.
Stewart came to the Southwest Detroit plant to help facilitate programming as part of her required volunteer service at Rocket.
“Some kids might not have people in their families that have good paying jobs,” Stewart said. “I’m an 80s baby and can remember when going to nice community centers in our neighborhoods — we don’t really have that anymore,” Stewart said. “It’s so good to let these kids know that instead of taking the wrong route straight out of high school, this is what you can do.”
