It’s Manufacturing Day! This is not a holiday when all manufacturers take picnics into the woods. It’s a day when manufacturers open their doors and show off the great things about manufacturing.
On the first Friday of October every year since 2012, Manufacturing Day gives the industry the chance to correct misconceptions about manufacturing.
We know that the rising generation chooses not to go into manufacturing, and one reason may be the widespread belief that manufacturing jobs are sweatshop labor that doesn’t even offer job security. In fact, today’s typical manufacturing job is well paid, with good benefits.
Last year’s Manufacturing Day produced some good results, with 90% of students who attended events reporting that they enjoyed the events and 81% saying that they were more convinced that manufacturing jobs are rewarding. 62% even said they were more motivated to go into manufacturing. Educators — who have a lot of influence on student career choices — were even more positive. Check out the Deloitte survey.
Manufacturing Day is a big step forward in the industry/education/ government collaboration that seems most likely to help close the skills gap and ensure future workers for manufacturing. Deloitte’s 2015 study on the skills gap makes it clear that action must be taken.
Manufacturing Day is part of that action. Letting people from the community see the cool tools used in modern manufacturing and the value of the work done is key to changing perceptions of manufacturing.