{"id":504,"date":"2013-09-24T12:44:19","date_gmt":"2013-09-24T19:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savingusmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=504"},"modified":"2013-09-24T12:44:20","modified_gmt":"2013-09-24T19:44:20","slug":"second-annual-manufacturing-day-celebrates-american-knowhow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savingusmanufacturing.com\/blog\/national-security\/second-annual-manufacturing-day-celebrates-american-knowhow\/","title":{"rendered":"Second Annual Manufacturing Day Celebrates American Knowhow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mission of Manufacturing Day<\/a> 2013 on Friday, October 4th<\/sup> is to highlight the importance of manufacturing to the nation’s economy, address common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors, and show what manufacturing is \u2014 and what it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Manufacturing Day has become an annual national event after its inaugural year in 2012 that is executed at the local level supporting hundreds of manufacturers across the nation that host students, teachers, parents, job seekers and other local community members at open houses designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers.<\/p>\n

In its first year, more than 240 events were held in manufacturing facilities in 37 states and more than 7,000 people participated. This year\u2019s celebration will feature open houses, public tours, career workshops and other activities to increase public awareness of modern manufacturing. Events also will introduce manufacturers to business improvement resources and services delivered through the MEP\u2019s network of hundreds of affiliated centers across the country.<\/p>\n

By working together during and after Manufacturing Day, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, draw attention to the many rewarding high-skill jobs available in manufacturing fields, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Manufacturing Day is being co-produced by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the National Institute of Standards and Technology\u2019s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Industrial Strength Marketing which is a leading industrial B2B marketing agency, and the Manufacturing Institute. The national media partner for the event is the Science Channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cManufacturing Day is a great opportunity to shift Americans\u2019 perception that it is not our grandfather\u2019s manufacturing anymore and to showcase the tremendous career opportunities manufacturing has to offer,\u201d said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons<\/a>. \u201cThis day is an engaging way to attract young people and get them excited about pursuing a career in a technology-driven, innovative environment that will also provide a good-paying job. We encourage all manufacturers and manufacturing associations to get involved and share what we already know\u2014manufacturing makes us strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

A long list of trade associations and private companies have joined the effort as sponsors<\/a> that includes Shell and the Alliance for American Manufacturing at the Gold level, The Association of Manufacturing Excellence, Precision Metalforming Association, SME Education Foundation, Association for Manufacturing Excellence, the Plastics Industry Trade Association, and IHS GlobalSpec at the Silver level, as well as many others at the Bronze level. The long list of endorsers on the website includes my own www.savingusmanufacturing.com<\/a> organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re honored to be a part of Manufacturing Day this year and look forward to helping make it a success,\u201d said Scott Paul<\/a>, president of AAM. \u201cAn innovative and growing manufacturing base is vital to America\u2019s economic and national security, as well as to providing good jobs for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe co-producers could not be more pleased that these organizations and companies, which work on such an integral level with all sectors of the manufacturing industry, are putting their full support behind Manufacturing Day,\u201d said Ed Youdell<\/a>, president and CEO of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. \u201cTheir reputation and their reach to professionals in the industry, as well as educators and students, will help generate participation in Manufacturing Day events across the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The SME Education Foundation<\/a> sees this is an opportunity for educators and parents to visit local employers with children, particularly those in middle school, to get them excited about the career opportunities available for those who have critically important STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe SME Education Foundation is dedicated to opening multiple pathways for young people to find fulfilling, high paying careers in manufacturing.\u00a0 Manufacturing Day is an opportunity to highlight manufacturing as vital to our economy and a career path that helps to growing wealth for the individual and for our nation,\u201d said Bart A. Aslin, CEO, SME Education Foundation<\/a>.\u00a0 \u201cPositive national media attention can help to dispel misconceptions about industries that provide safe, clean work environments while manufacturing products that improve standards of living in our global economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supported by this group of co-producers and industry sponsors, Manufacturing Day is designed to amplify the voice of individual manufacturers and coordinate a collective chorus of manufacturers with common concerns and challenges. The rallying point for a growing mass movement, Manufacturing Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.<\/p>\n

From now until Manufacturing Day, October 4th<\/sup>, enter the Manufacturing Day Sweepstakes to win a trip for two to a 2014 race of your choice, courtesy of Shell Lubricants. Eligible races include any of the Sprint Cup Series or Nationwide Series races during the 2014 season. The winner will be selected on October 7, 2013 and will be contacted shortly thereafter to claim their prize. Click here<\/a> to enter today!<\/p>\n

According to the 2012 Public Perception of Manufacturing report<\/a> by the nonprofit Manufacturing Institute, 80 percent of Americans believe manufacturing is important to our economic prosperity, standard of living and national security. Yet, only 30 percent would encourage their children to go into manufacturing as a career. The hope is that by providing media, educators, parents, and kids with an inside look at the high-tech world of manufacturing this percentage will begin to grow.<\/p>\n

With the gap growing each year between the skills students learn in school and those they will need on the job, it is increasingly difficult for manufacturers to find and hire qualified employees. By promoting Manufacturing Day, manufacturing associations and other organizations led by NIST MEP centers and the FMA said they want to remove some of the myths surrounding manufacturing. For example, manufacturing is a solid, long-term career choice for qualified candidates\u2014including the young people who will form the workforce of tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Here is a summary of a few reasons why we should acknowledge the importance of manufacturing by observing October 4th<\/sup> as Manufacturing Day that are outlined in greater detail in the chapter on \u201cWhy we should save American Manufacturing\u201d from my book<\/a> Can American Manufacturing be Saved? Why we should and how we can<\/i>:<\/p>\n