Earlier this month, on October 2, Manufacturing Day was celebrated! Manufacturing Day is a nationally-recognized holiday to celebrate—you guessed it—the manufacturing business! MFG Day has been held annually on the first Friday in October since its introduction in 2012 and aims to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and offer them a path toward a future in the industry.

On Manufacturing Day, and in some states, the entire month of October, manufacturers are encouraged to open their doors and host events to inform the public about what they do and reach out to potential employees and partners with job fairs, facility tours, training classes, scholarships and shadowing events.

According to the MFG Day website, this holiday exists to correct public misconceptions about the manufacturing environments and show that:

• Manufacturing supports more than 17.6 million jobs in the US.
• Manufacturing is technologically advanced and uses automation, 3-D printing, robots, and screen technology to make their products.
• 90% of manufacturing workers have medical benefits.
• The average annual salary of a manufacturing worker is over $77,000 and entry-level engineers earn an annual average of $60,000.
• US Manufacturing is the 9^th largest economy in the world.

Because of this general lack of public knowledge, manufacturers are suffering a skilled labor shortage that proprietors of MFG Day hope to eradicate by encouraging a new generation of manufacturers to get involved! Events were hosted throughout the country on MFG Day in an effort to show public support and awareness of the industry. One of MFG Day’s official media partners, the Science Channel, even hosted a marathon to celebrate.

Learn more about “What Manufacturing Really Looks Like” by viewing the infographic below. For more information about this great organization supporting Manufacturing, and to see how you can get involved in the future, go to mfgday.com or visit their Facebook page.

Interested in learning more about manufacturing job openings at MAU? Click below to view our job board for current positions in this important industry and start a new career today!

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What-Manufacturing-Really-Looks-Like-[Infographic]-by NIST MEP