CLEVELAND — Lynda Wilson never pictured herself working in manufacturing, but now the 17-year-old is excited to continue to build her career at Lincoln Electric.

​  “You get to do a lot hands-on and they help you find your place,” Wilson said.

She was intrigued when the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) came to her high school last year. The nonprofit consulting group was there to recruit for its Early College Early Career (ECEC) program.

“When they initially came, they told us first thing off the bat it was a paid internship. So, I was like, okay, I need to get a job,” Wilson said. “And then they told us that we would get 12 credits towards our graduation and I was like I need the credits too. So, it was a win-win for me.”

ECEC has been around since 2017.

The program places juniors and seniors at 14 northeast Ohio high schools in paid internships at nine local manufacturers. The goal is to create a talent pipeline for the thousands of open manufacturing jobs in the region.

Rahim Nichols is the director of the program.

“I love this job because it gives the students a why,” Nichols said. “It gives them an opportunity to find some purpose, to find some destiny in their lives. And so on top of giving them the career advice and the professional skills and all of those types of things, I just want to develop greater human beings. To make an impact on northeast Ohio, so they can impact on their families, and to make an impact in our city.”

Wilson, alongside 30 other students, are part of the program currently and recruitment is underway for the 60 open spots in next year’s cohort.

Wilson is a senior at Shaw High School and said her main motivation is her one-year-old daughter, Isabella.

“Growing up, I really looked up to my parents, and I wanted to be a person that she could look up to, whether it be for a job, or advice growing up as a young woman in this world," said Wilson. "I just want to be the best person I could for her. So, I felt if I put myself in a better place to succeed in the world, it will help her."

Wilson said manufacturing has taught her responsibility.

“Being accountable for yourself, accountable for your work. Being on time. It’s maturing me faster than I thought it would,” Wilson said.

MAGNET recently opened its new headquarters in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. The renovated manufacturing hub is housed in the former Margaret A Ireland Elementary School.

MAGNET works with small and mid-sized manufacturers and officials said the new center will help create 30,000 jobs and grow the local economy by $40 billion by 2032.

At ECEC, students attend their home high school three days a week, come to the new facility for hands-on learning one day a week, and work at their internship each Friday.

“A lot of students just don’t know what they want to do,” Nichols said. “And so a lot of students are skilled and like to work with their hands, but they don’t even know these opportunities are out here. So, manufacturing has created awareness, has created exposure for a lot of our students. Once they get their hands on that machine and once they get their hands on that computer, it opens their eyes to a whole new world.”

Nichols said the program has an 85% job placement rate. Some students start work right away and others go to college after ECEC.

Wilson is one of two girls who are part of the program now, and she plans to keep working her way up at Lincoln Electric after graduation.

“I want little girls to know that being in manufacturing isn’t just a man’s job. Being in a factory isn’t just for boys,” Wilson said.