Ashley Furniture Hosts Career Day Events for Local Students

Nearly 100 high school students from nearby districts explored design, distribution, manufacturing, and tech roles at the company's Arcadia facilities.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:21pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A stylized, isometric 3D illustration depicting a miniature, conceptual Ashley Furniture manufacturing facility, with various workstations, machinery, and products arranged in a clean, modern diorama against a soft pastel background.Ashley Furniture's Career Day events immersed local students in the company's dynamic manufacturing and design processes, inspiring the next generation of industry talent.Arcadia Today

Ashley Furniture Industries recently hosted a series of Career Day events at its Arcadia, Wisconsin manufacturing facilities, inviting nearly 100 high school students from local districts to explore various career paths across the company's design, distribution, transportation, advanced manufacturing, and information technology departments.

Why it matters

The events aimed to inspire students about future career opportunities, provide real-world exposure to different industries, and strengthen educational partnerships between Ashley and the surrounding communities.

The details

During the Career Day events, students toured Ashley's facilities, met with department leaders, and participated in hands-on activities to learn about roles in design, distribution and transportation, and advanced manufacturing and IT. Students explored topics like product design, materials, and showroom displays; distribution center operations and transportation networks; and modern manufacturing processes, automation, and 3D printing.

  • The Career Day events were hosted recently in April 2026.

The players

Ashley Furniture Industries, LLC

A major furniture manufacturer that hosted the Career Day events at its Arcadia, Wisconsin facilities.

Cayden Platteter

A student from the Whitehall School District who participated in the Career Day events.

Jenna Irvine

An art teacher from the Whitehall School District whose students participated in the Career Day events.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Before visiting Ashley, I didn't really know what to expect, but I was excited to get a better understanding of the industry. I liked touring the facility and learning how all the teams work together. If I get the opportunity again, I would definitely go back and I hope that more students get to experience a visit like this.”

— Cayden Platteter, Student, Whitehall School District

“Career day provided a great opportunity for students to learn first-hand from designers at Ashley. During their visit they got a better understanding of the background of each designer, what they work on daily and how they started their design journey. Students enjoyed meeting with the team, touring the facility and left feeling inspired!”

— Jenna Irvine, Art Teacher, Whitehall School District

The takeaway

By hosting these Career Day events, Ashley Furniture is investing in the next generation and helping local students explore diverse career paths in design, manufacturing, logistics, and technology - all while strengthening educational partnerships and inspiring the future workforce.