It’s that time of the year: time to get ready for Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) 2014!

Manufacturing day is less than two months away. This year, it’s going to take place on Friday, October 3rd! Here’s why it matters and here’s why you should attend.

As you probably know by now, there’s a skills gap in manufacturing. There are more open jobs in manufacturing than there are people to fill them, despite the tremendous opportunities present in such jobs. Long story short, there aren’t enough skilled workers to fill the positions open in advanced manufacturing today.

MFG Day’s mission goes something like this:

MFG DAY addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is—and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

Supported by a group of industry sponsors and co-producers, MFG 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, MFG DAY empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.

As we covered in our post last year, there are three main types of events put on on MFG Day to try to encourage participation, and ultimately get more people interested in careers in manufacturing:

1. Plant Tours: Plant tours are the most straightforward way to get out and get involved on October 3rd. You can visit local manufacturers who will then open up the doors to their plant for tours and information–and see some great technology close-up.
   
2. Manufacturing Communities: Manufacturing communities are like plant tours, but on a bigger scale. Manufacturers can band together and offer successive tours of their plants, showing visitors (like you, hopefully!) a range of manufacturing work environments.
3. Educational Fairs: Some educational institutions like community colleges and technical schools offer themselves up as venues for Manufacturing Day events. These types of events are less-hands on, but often give much more in-depth information on getting an education in the trades.

Last year’s MFG Day was home to lots of great events all throughout Nebraska, and this year should be no different. As of today, there are , and there will only be more as we get closer and closer to the actual day.

This year’s MFG Day is as good of a time as ever to get out there and get involved. There’s no better time to get out there, see manufacturing in action, and learn more about manufacturing’s career opportunities, so what are you waiting for? For more information on MFG Day 2014 events in Nebraska, connect with us via our Contact Us page. We’d love to hear from you!