DMI Companies proudly hosted its fourth annual Manufacturing (MFG) Day event in Wagoner on October 1, 2025. We welcomed approximately 65 students from Wagoner High School and Indian Capital Technology Center’s Tahlequah and Coweta campuses for a full day of career exploration and interactive activities, alongside teachers, community members, and industry partners.
MFG Day began with a warm welcome from Factory Superintendent Joseph Pusatere and President Doug Gudenburr, who introduced students and educators to DMI and the many opportunities available within the manufacturing industry. Workforce Development Manager Katie Hager gave an insightful overview of MFG Day and its purpose, emphasizing the importance of connecting students with real-world career possibilities. Safety and Sustainability Coordinator Nathan Chuculate then reviewed safety practices that would ensure a secure experience for all participants.
Students met in small groups with DMI employees from various departments, including Production, Engineering, and Maintenance, allowing them to explore different career paths and experience advanced manufacturing technology firsthand.
Throughout the day, students rotated through six engaging activities, including building and launching a working catapult, designing products for manufacturability, improving a process using Lean principles, exploring the importance of sustainability, programming robots to complete basic automation tasks, and learning about chemical reactions through the creation of elephant toothpaste. The elephant toothpaste experiment mirrors a reaction used in the application of gaskets on the GSI pipeline. Each activity was developed and led by our experienced team members, providing students with an opportunity to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
Following the tour and activities, students reconvened for a presentation on manufacturing careers led by Katie Hager. With the support of career tables and one-on-one conversations, students were able to better visualize potential career paths and growth opportunities within the industry.
Joseph Pusatere closed the day with a message of appreciation and encouragement, followed by a fun and educational Kahoot game that helped reinforce the information shared throughout the day.
DMI hosted its first MFG Day at our Wagoner facility in 2022. Between this event and other Workforce Development programs, we have provided hundreds of students with firsthand exposure to advanced manufacturing and the wide range of careers it offers. We are proud to continue this tradition and are even prouder when former participants return to DMI to participate in other Workforce Development programs, such as internships and co-ops, and eventually return as full-time employees.
The feedback we received this year was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees specifically mentioning how much they enjoyed the opportunity to connect with our team and gain a better understanding of career options.
Thank you to all who attended Wagoner’s MFG Day event and made it a huge success! We are immensely proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by our team and look forward to making our next MFG Day even better.
