Officials from the upcoming the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Cente r in Scappoose are working with public school educators to find ways to connect students with manufacturing career pathways.

Modeled after a research district in Sheffield, England, the Oregon center will pair higher education providers with manufacturing leaders to provide research, development and training for industry.

During a tour of the Oregon center Nov. 4, Gov. Kate Brown asked whether there are any plans to “integrate more extensive CTE and STEAM at the high school and middle school level.”

“My concern is we have some funding at the high school level and that we’re ignoring middle school, and that’s really where we need to get kids engaged in terms of the crafts, I think,” Brown said.

Mark Mitisui, president of Portland Community College, said center leaders are in preliminary discussions with local school districts.

“We are beginning those discussions about how we can articulate and partner and collaborate through OMIC in creating a career pathway and greater awareness of careers in manufacturing,” he said.

“We believe this has regional ramifications,” said Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, who has been instrumental in securing funding for the new center. “I have talked to the superintendents out here. It’s helpful that the Scappoose superintendent is an Englishman and has family in Sheffield.”

“We have a little bit of an inside track,” she added, eliciting laughter from the governor.