Newsletter: Innovators create Jackson tech manufacturing network

Jackson’s tourism economy is red hot. It brings international visitors and fuels small businesses and government coffers.

Meanwhile, the town’s tech sector is flying under the radar. The small, vibrant cluster of businesses is training students and giving them real-world experience. These companies are sharing ideas and employees and providing each other work.

Quietly, this small group of manufacturing and technology firms south of town are providing talented, underemployed residents an opportunity to bring their skills to bear on groundbreaking technology like minesweeping robots and sensors built to test the strength of high-tech materials. The high-paying jobs at these companies range from accountants and production line manufacturers to mechanical engineers and product designers.

These Jackson manufacturers have built a symbiotic relationship with each other and the local school district. The result is students better prepared for the careers of the future, and the creation of better paying jobs in diverse fields and a more resilient economy in the present.

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