Manufacturing Day 2016 — Friday October 7, 2016
One of the most difficult challenges facing manufacturers today is finding skilled employees. The term most often associated with this phenomenon is, “The Skills Gap”. By 2025 it is estimated this gap could result in as many as 2 million unfilled jobs. With the average wage in manufacturing being $79,500 these jobs could go a long way to helping grow the middle class.
One aspect of this challenge is to get middle and high school age students, and their parents, better informed about careers in manufacturing. Over the last 20-30 years the terms most often associated with manufacturing are, “The 4 D’s - Dirty, Dark, Dangerous and Declining”. A full analysis of these perceptions is a topic for a much more detailed discussion. Needless to say, when students, parents, teachers, and counselors hear these terms they look into other career choices. The truth is, most modern advanced manufacturing companies are clean, bright, safe and growing! The trick is how to let everyone know things have and are changing.
One educational effort developed by a consortium of groups representing manufacturing is Manufacturing Day. This special day is celebrated every year on the first Friday in October. For 2016 that will be Friday October 7.
This year Edge Factor has developed a motivational video as well as a kit of resources to promote Manufacturing Day events. Larissa Hofman, Communication Dir. at Edge Factor has written about how to access the film and resource kit in a BLOG POST on ManufacturingStories.com.
Please help to promote ManufacturingDay 2016 to your youth. Also remember that although the first Friday in October each year is the officially recognized day these types of educational programs can be arranged for any time of the year and as often as there is interest and there are resources to have the events.
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