More than 200 U.S. manufacturers opened their doors to the public to host open houses, public tours, career workshops and other events as part of the first annual Manufacturing Day on Oct. 5, 2012. The national event was created to highlight the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy and showcase the highly skilled jobs available in manufacturing fields.
"Access to talented individuals with a high-quality education and advanced skills is critical to manufacturers' capacity for innovation and business success," said Jennifer McNelly, president of the Manufacturing Institute. "Today's talent does not view manufacturing as a top career option. This perception issue, coupled with the skills gap, has contributed to a depleted supply of qualified talent for today’s manufacturing workplaces. Manufacturing Day is an important step in helping to change manufacturing's image and engaging future talent by giving them firsthand experience with the real world of manufacturing."
The event is co-produced by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute, along with the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and the U.S. Commerce Department's Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
"Manufacturing is at the forefront of the national conversation, and Manufacturing Day showcases how important the sector is for economic growth and job creation," noted Jay Timmons, NAM president and CEO. "By opening up shop floors around the country, we were able to show what manufacturing is all about — a high-skilled, technology-driven industry that offers secure, good-paying jobs."
For more information, visit www.mfgday.com.