First Annual Manufacturing Day Highlights Importance of Manufacturing

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute announced they will serve as co-producers for the first annual Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 5. The event will highlight the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy and showcase the rewarding, highly skilled jobs available in manufacturing fields. The NAM and the Institute will be joined as co-producers by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International and the U.S. Commerce Department’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Manufacturers across the nation will be invited to participate in Manufacturing Day as sponsors, hosting open houses, public tours, career workshops and other events. A recent study shows that 600,000 manufacturing jobs are unfilled in the United States due to a gap in the job requirements and the skills within the workforce. Manufacturing Day will draw greater attention to the outstanding opportunities that a career in manufacturing can provide and promote the pursuit of skills that will lead to a long-term career that offers security and growth for qualified candidates.

“Manufacturing is at the forefront of the national conversation, and Manufacturing Day is a great opportunity to continue to drive awareness to how important the sector is for economic growth and job creation,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “By opening up shopfloors around the country, we will be able to show modern manufacturing for what it is—a sleek, technology-driven industry that offers secure, good-paying jobs.”

“Access to talented individuals with a high-quality education and advanced skills is critical to manufacturers’ capacity for innovation and business success,” added 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.”

To learn more about Manufacturing Day, log on to www.mfgday.com or call (888) 394-4362. Organizations that wish to become involved as official sponsors of this program should e-mail info@mfgday.com.

About NAM
The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing has a presence in every single congressional district providing good, high-paying jobs. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.