The success of MFG Day every year depends on the grassroots efforts of manufacturers and manufacturing-supporting organizations across the country. While COVID-19 has changed many MFG Day plans, it hasn’t changed that core reality. But this year, those efforts will be enhanced by virtual MFG Day events organized by The Manufacturing Institute.
Author: SRashid
Leaders of American Business Line up to Keep MFG Day in 2020
The 8th Annual MFG Day, organized nationally by The Manufacturing Institute, will recognize the importance of modern manufacturing and inspire the country’s next generation of talent through virtual and safe in-person events
(WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 28, 2020) The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, announces its growing list of sponsorship commitments and partner events ahead of MFG Day 2020.
Kicking off this year on Oct. 2, MFG Day is a flagship initiative of The Manufacturing Institute and aims to showcase the reality of modern manufacturing careers and address the skills gap that is leaving more than 2.4 million American jobs unfilled by 2028. This skills gap is in part due to a lack of awareness of the incredible career pathways in manufacturing, and the National Association of Manufacturers, The Manufacturing Institute and manufacturers across the country are proactively addressing this issue with MFG Day. MFG Day encourages thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation to host virtual or safe in-person events for students, parents, teachers and community leaders to learn more about the exciting field of modern manufacturing and to better understand the challenges of the skills gap.
Transforming the annual tradition of manufacturing open houses into a series of mostly virtual events simulcast across the country, this year’s MFG Day will be like no other, with opportunities for more connection, reach and participation across the industry and the country without the limitations of physical events and travel. These events will be hosted by key partners and manufacturers nationwide including.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed for all of us the importance of modern manufacturing in our lives—from making masks, gloves and hospital equipment to researching vaccines and treatments, from producing our food supply to developing the electronics that make remote learning and work possible. In the coming months and years, it will be modern manufacturing that leads our recovery and renewal. This year’s MFG Day is a uniquely powerful opportunity to bring awareness to the high-paying, rewarding and meaningful career opportunities in our industry,” said Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “Across the country, manufacturers are saying, ‘Creators Wanted.’ We have hundreds of thousands of jobs to fill—and will have millions more over the coming decades. MFG Day will open minds to what’s possible with a career in modern manufacturing.”
The platform of MFG Day for manufacturers to educate and inspire new talent is made possible by the support of leading American businesses, including National Sponsors Salesforce, PTC and Microsoft.
Other sponsors include Gold Sponsors Siemens and Polaris; Silver Sponsors Kronos and Manufacturing Extension Partnership; and Industry Sponsors The Plastics Association and Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
As sponsors, all of these companies have signaled their commitment to highlighting the essential and innovative work modern manufacturers do and energizing a future pipeline of skilled workers.
Since its founding in 2012 by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International and subsequent organizing by The Manufacturing Institute, MFG Day has been the keystone manufacturing education and awareness day that gives manufacturers the unique opportunity to address the skills gap, connect with future generations of talent, reframe the public perception of what modern manufacturing is and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole.
Press Contact:
John Chibnall
Senior PR Manager
[email protected]
314-623-8659
About Manufacturing Institute
The Manufacturing Institute grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all American workers and emerging workers, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and career growth. As the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. For more information, please visit creatorswanted.org/mfgday.
Polaris To Celebrate Manufacturing Day 2020 As Official Sponsor
The day, organized by The Manufacturing Institute, recognizes the importance of modern manufacturing and inspires the next generation of talent nationwide
(MEDINA, MN) September 24, 2020 – Polaris Inc., the global leader in powersports, today announced its participation as an official sponsor of Manufacturing (MFG) Day 2020, a flagship initiative of the Manufacturing Institute which serves as the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. With October recognized as National Manufacturing Month, the annual MFG Day event is held the first Friday of October, with this year’s event taking place on Friday, October 2. As an official MFG Day sponsor and a leading U.S. manufacturer, Polaris joins thousands of companies and educational institutions around the nation celebrating and showcasing modern manufacturing and the incredible career opportunities made possible by the manufacturing industry.
“Polaris has a rich history in manufacturing, and its common theme is delivering value for our customers. Whether for work or play, on trails or farms or waterways, we encourage people to be outdoors and Think Outside,” said Polaris Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Scott Wine. We can deliver on that premise because of our thousands of dedicated and skilled employees who engineer, design and build our vehicles. From our very first plant in Roseau, MN to our newest facility in Huntsville, AL, Polaris encapsulates the story of American manufacturing and we are proud to support and celebrate MFG Day 2020. We hope that our support for this day excites the next generation about the terrific opportunities a future in manufacturing can provide.”
Due to the unique challenges this year presents, MFG Day 2020 is going virtual with activations helping connect participants across the country. Through digital and social content, Polaris will showcase its American manufacturing operations, including use of an interactive 3-D Virtual Tour of its manufacturing facility in Roseau, and highlight the employees that help bring its vehicles to life. Roseau is significant to the Polaris story as it is where the company was originally founded in 1954, demonstrating the important connection manufacturers play in the lives of the communities where they operate and serve.
“This year’s MFG Day is a uniquely powerful opportunity to bring awareness to the high-paying, rewarding and meaningful career opportunities in our industry,” said Carolyn Lee, Manufacturing Institute’s executive director. “Across the country, manufacturers are saying, ‘Creators Wanted.’ We have hundreds of thousands of jobs to fill—and will have millions more over the coming decades. MFG Day will open minds to what’s possible with a modern manufacturing career.”
Polaris is one of those manufacturers looking for ‘Creators’ to join the team. With record demand for its products, Polaris’ manufacturing facilities are searching for qualified candidates interested in becoming a part of the Polaris team. Career opportunities are available at multiple locations, including Anaheim, CA; Battle Ground, WA; Elkhart, IN (Bennington); Elkhart (Highwater); Huntsville, AL; Monticello, MN; Osceola, WI; and Roseau, MN. More information on current openings also can be found at polaris.com/careers.
Since its founding in 2012, MFG Day has been the keystone manufacturing education and awareness day that gives manufacturers the unique opportunity to address the skills gap, connect with future generations of talent, reframe the public perception of what modern manufacturing is and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the industry as a whole.
Press Contact:
John Chibnall
Senior PR Manager
[email protected] | 314-623-8659
About Polaris
As the global leader in Powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. With annual 2019 sales of $6.8 billion, Polaris’ high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman® all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle® mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot® moto-roadsters; snowmobiles; and deck, cruiser and pontoon boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments, and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket portfolio, including Transamerican Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in adjacent markets includes military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
About Manufacturing Institute
The Manufacturing Institute grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all American workers and emerging workers, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and career growth. As the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. For more information, please visit creatorswanted.org/mfgday.
Share #MFGDay20 on Your Social Networks
Modern manufacturing’s biggest stage to educate and excite the next generation about opportunities to create the future is just about here.
MFG Day is a grassroots movement—led by manufacturers—that relies on each of us to do our part to share the “Creators Wanted” message. By 2028, America will need to fill 4.6 million modern manufacturing jobs—rewarding careers that lift up everyone and make a difference. So, amid this difficult time for the country and world, we have a positive and uplifting call to action for our future.
Use the hashtags #MFGDay20 and #CreatorsWanted to drive attention to MFG Day, and share some facts about opportunities in modern manufacturing. We’ve built a tool to help you do just that.
Here are some additional resources to help our future make it:
- MFG Day Social Media Toolkit (with graphics to share!)
- Teacher Toolkit
- MFG Day Host Toolkit
- Government official Toolkit
- Manufacturer DIY Video Toolkit
Keep checking CreatorsWanted.org for new content and follow us at these handles!
Twitter
@MFGDAY
@TheMFGInstitute
@ShopfloorNAM
LinkedIn
@Manufacturing Day
@National-Association-of-Manufacturers—NAM
How to Participate Virtually in MFG Day 2020
Every year, shop floors across the country open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders to showcase modern manufacturing careers through MFG Day. Carolyn Lee is the Executive Director of The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. Here she shares what MFG Day is, why it is so important to the future of the industry and how manufacturers can drive attendance to their MFG events.
What is MFG Day?
MFG Day is an initiative to raise awareness for the many opportunities in modern manufacturing. On MFG Day, manufacturers open their doors to open minds about well-paying, rewarding and productive careers that give the next generation the chance to create the future using tomorrow’s technologies today.
When does it take place?
MFG Day begins on the first Friday of October but events extend throughout the month. Last year there were more than 3,000 MFG Day events hosted in 49 states as well as in Canada and Mexico. More than 325,000 students participated in MFG Day events.
What happens at MFG Day events?
Participants get a chance to see what is really taking place on many shop floors. This isn’t your grandparents’ manufacturing industry. Artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and co-bots—robots that work alongside humans—are commonplace on shop floors. And augmented reality and virtual reality are now just reality for many modern manufacturers. All of this and more is available to those who attend an on-site or virtual MFG Day event.
Why is MFG Day especially important this year?
This is a critical moment for the manufacturing industry. The U.S. economy as a whole is facing an unprecedented challenge in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing is no exception, but the industry’s leadership in our nation’s response is showing the public how critical manufacturing is to our country. Manufacturers, the men and women who make things in America, are the ones making the test kits, personal protective equipment and daily items Americans need right now during this crisis. They are developing medicines and vaccines and the equipment needed to test and study treatments. Throughout our nation’s response effort—and during MFG Day in particular—we hope that more young people will see how creators respond when our country needs them most and choose to join in this effort by pursuing a career in modern manufacturing.
Do you have any advice for manufacturers who want to inspire more people to join the workforce?
Host a MFG Day event, and register it on CreatorsWanted.org, the new digital home for MFG Day, so people in your area can find it and attend! MFG Day is your opportunity to stand up and be counted, showcasing the reality of careers in our industry. Our country’s future is tied to the continued success of the manufacturing industry, and manufacturing’s success will be determined, as it always has, by its next generation of leaders. Join us in this critical effort to strengthen our industry into the future.
August Update on Creators Wanted and MFG Day
The National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute have continued to monitor the circumstances surrounding COVID-19. Our primary goal remains the health and safety of the public and manufacturers, and we continue to channel resources to support the creators who are on the front lines of this pandemic.
To maintain a safe environment and achieve the ambitious campaign goals of the Creators Wanted campaign, we are continuing to delay the start of the Creators Wanted Tour until circumstances warrant a safe launch. In the meantime, we will continue to share the Creators Wanted campaign story across our social media platforms.
MFG Day 2020 is the central anchor of our Creators Wanted efforts in 2020. October is Manufacturing Month and the first Friday of the month, October 2, is MFG Day, organized nationally by The Manufacturing Institute. We will deploy our Creators Wanted message via MFG Day across the country either through in-person or virtual events. Companies or organizations interested in hosting MFG Day events in 2020 can visit our Resources page to get started. Companies or organizations interested in sponsoring MFG Day can review opportunities at this link.
Registration for MFG Day is also now open, and you can search for an event in your area.
To rebound from the pandemic, America will need creators. The Creators Wanted campaign is as relevant and as important as ever. We appreciation the partnership and commitment of our sponsors, and look forward to advancing their and our aims in the months and years ahead.
Chrys Kefalas
Campaign Manager, Creators Wanted Campaign
Vice President, Brand Strategy, National Association of Manufacturers
Update on Creators Wanted and MFG Day
The National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute have continued to monitor the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to cancel the campaign’s Making America Festival. The festival was to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio in September 2020. While we are disappointed that we won’t be able to gather as an industry, our primary goal is the health and safety of guests, and we are channeling our resources to support the creators who are on the front lines of this pandemic.
In addition, to maintain a safe environment and achieve our ambitious campaign goals, we are taking the following measures:
- Delaying the start of the Creators Wanted Tour. The tour will now launch either in the fall or in 2021, with an exact launch date to be determined as more information develops.
- Advancing our digital campaign. A full-fledged digital campaign will be our central focus until the Creators Wanted Tour hits the road.
- Making MFG Day the central anchor of our Creators Wanted efforts in 2020. October is Manufacturing Month and the first Friday of the month is Manufacturing Day, organized nationally by the Manufacturing Institute. We will deploy our Creators Wanted message via MFG Day across the country either through in-person or virtual events.
We will have additional information about MFG Day by June 22, 2020, and more information about the Creators Wanted tour schedule by July 1, 2020. You can register your MFG Day events right now at this link.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors, we’re building a first-of-its-kind traveling modern manufacturing tour, developing the tools and resources to connect with and inspire students and emerging workers across the country and strengthening the programs of The Manufacturing Institute.
We are committed to making this campaign a success, as we work to inspire a new generation of manufacturing workers, a generation whose ingenuity will help this country face the unprecedented challenges of the future. We will continue to monitor the situation closely with health and safety top of mind. We will advance the campaign in the safest and most effective way possible.
Chrys Kefalas
Campaign manager, Creators Wanted campaign
Vice President, Brand Strategy, National Association of Manufacturers
MFG Day Inspires Future Creators to Explore Manufacturing
Every year, shop floors across the country open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders to showcase modern manufacturing careers through MFG Day. Carolyn Lee is the Executive Director of The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers. Here she shares what MFG Day is, why it is so important to the future of the industry and how manufacturers can drive attendance to their MFG events.
What is MFG Day?
MFG Day is an initiative to raise awareness for the many opportunities in modern manufacturing. On MFG Day, manufacturers open their doors to open minds about well-paying, rewarding and productive careers that give the next generation the chance to create the future using tomorrow’s technologies today.
When does it take place?
MFG Day begins on the first Friday of October but events extend throughout the month. Last year there were more than 3,000 MFG Day events hosted in 49 states as well as in Canada and Mexico. More than 325,000 students participated in MFG Day events.
What happens at MFG Day events?
Participants get a chance to see what is really taking place on many shop floors. This isn’t your grandparents’ manufacturing industry. Artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and co-bots—robots that work alongside humans—are commonplace on shop floors. And augmented reality and virtual reality are now just reality for many modern manufacturers. All of this and more is available to those who attend an on-site or virtual MFG Day event.
Why is MFG Day especially important this year?
This is a critical moment for the manufacturing industry. The U.S. economy as a whole is facing an unprecedented challenge in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing is no exception, but the industry’s leadership in our nation’s response is showing the public how critical manufacturing is to our country. Manufacturers, the men and women who make things in America, are the ones making the test kits, personal protective equipment and daily items American need right now during this crisis. They are developing medicines and vaccines and the equipment needed to test and study treatments. Throughout our nation’s response effort—and during MFG Day in particular—we hope that more young people will see how creators respond when our country needs them most and choose to join in this effort by pursuing a career in modern manufacturing.
Do you have any advice for manufacturers who want to inspire more people to join the workforce?
Host a MFG Day event, and register it on CreatorsWanted.org, the new digital home for MFG Day, so people in your area can find it and attend! MFG Day is your opportunity to stand up and be counted, showcasing the reality of careers in our industry. Our country’s future is tied to the continued success of the manufacturing industry, and manufacturing’s success will be determined, as it always has, by its next generation of leaders. Join us in this critical effort to strengthen our industry into the future.
COVID-19 Update
A Message about The Creators Wanted Campaign and COVID-19
First and foremost, the National Association of Manufacturers is committed to the health and safety of our workforce and our communities. The association is responding and mobilizing in an unprecedented way to the threats posed by COVID-19. For the latest resources and information, please visit nam.org/coronavirus.
With public health in mind, the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute have adjusted our plans for Creators Wanted, our historic workforce campaign. To maintain a safe environment and achieve our ambitious campaign goals, we are taking the following measures:
- Delaying the start of the Creators Wanted Tour. The tour will officially launch at the Making America Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 23-26, 2020. This means that the bulk of our tour stops will occur between September 2020 and early 2021.
- Making plans to participate at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. Provided organizers host the conference and dependent on the latest public health directives, we intend to participate at this showcase of career and technical education students, June 22-26, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky, with enhanced cleaning and disinfectant protocols for guests and staff.
- Moving forward with plans for the Democratic and Republican conventions. We still plan to leverage the election spotlight to focus attention on our industry and modern manufacturing careers. We intend to bring the tour to the Democratic National Convention, July 13-16, 2020, and to the Republican National Convention, Aug. 24-27, 2020.
- Advancing our digital campaign. A full-fledged digital campaign will be our central focus until the tour hits the road.
- Deploying our mobile Creators Wanted display at manufacturing stakeholder events. Manufacturers and other key NAM and Manufacturing Institute partners have invited our team to participate in events with manufacturing and community leaders in the next few months, and we will make every effort to be a part of these important events.
We will have additional information about the tour and festival schedule by May 1, 2020.
Thanks to the support of our sponsors, we’re building a first-of-its-kind traveling modern manufacturing tour, developing the tools and resources to connect with and inspire students and emerging workers across the country and strengthening the programs of The Manufacturing Institute.
We are committed to making this tour and campaign a success, as we work to inspire a new generation of manufacturing workers. We will continue to monitor the situation closely with health and safety top of mind. We will advance the campaign in the safest and most effective way possible.
Chrys Kefalas
Campaign manager, Creators Wanted campaign
Vice President, Brand Strategy, National Association of Manufacturers
NAM Unveils Historic “Creators Wanted” Campaign Showcasing Modern Manufacturing
Industry Unites with Over $14M in Sponsorships to Fund First-of-Its-Kind National Tour
The National Association of Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the NAM, today unveiled their “Creators Wanted” campaign, an unprecedented, nationwide effort to reshape America’s perception of manufacturing and confront the industry’s growing skills gap.
By 2025, the impact of “Creators Wanted” aims to reduce the skills gap in the United States by 600,000, expand the number of students enrolling in technical and vocational schools or reskilling programs by 25% and increase the positive perception of the industry among parents to 50% from 27% today.
As part of the campaign, the NAM announced more than $14 million in initial sponsorships from manufacturing companies for the “Creators Wanted Fund,” which will support programs and activities in 2020 and beyond to engage and interact with kids and parents in communities nationwide and support important workforce programs to inspire and drive more Americans to pursue careers in modern manufacturing.
“It’s inspiring to see the industry come together, from small family-run businesses to iconic global brands, to address these critical challenges, reshape America’s perception of manufacturing and close the skills gap. ‘Creators Wanted’ is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to leverage the manufacturing industry’s unmatched strength to confront the workforce crisis with immediate and long-term solutions,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Thanks to the generous contributions from our sponsors, we have the ability to build the talent pipeline and secure the future of manufacturing in the United States.”
The “Creators Wanted” campaign will feature an on-the-ground, interactive mobile tour designed to inspire Americans in more than 20 states to pursue high-tech, high-paying jobs in modern manufacturing. In addition, the campaign will include a year-long nationwide digital campaign to recruit new talent to the industry and host a culminating Making America Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, in September, featuring interactive exhibits, thought leadership forums and entertainment to showcase the future of modern manufacturing in America.
The NAM also recognized sponsors of the “Creators Wanted” campaign, stressing their support in narrowing the skills gap facing manufacturing in America.
“Creators Wanted” Campaign Sponsors:
Legacy Sponsors
- Ariel Corporation
- The Dow Chemical Company Foundation
- Emerson
- Honda
- Ingersoll Rand, plc (future Trane Technologies)
- Stand Together
- Timken Foundation of Canton
Innovator Sponsors
- Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
- Novelis Inc.
- Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
- Toyota
Leader Sponsors
- Ball Corporation
- BASF Corporation
- Cornerstone Building Brands
- J&J
- Merck & Co., Inc.
- Microsoft
- Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation
- PPG
Champion Sponsors
- The Boeing Company
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Ceridian
- CRH Americas, Inc
- Ecolab Inc.
- Exxon Mobil Corporation
- Goodyear Foundation
- Honeywell International
- JDA
- Leggett & Platt, Incorporated
- Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Nestle
- Nucor Corporation
- Pella Corporation
- Rockwell Automation, Inc.
- Salesforce
- Snap-On, Inc.
- Vermeer Corporation
- Volvo Group
- Walmart, Inc.
- Zoro Corporation
Ally Sponsors
- BKD, LLP
- GE Appliances
- Polaris
Advocate Sponsors
- Adient US LLC
- Ashley Furniture Industries
- Click Bond, Inc.
- Covestro LLC
- FORCAM, Inc.
- Fresenius Medical Care N.A.
- Greene, Tweed & Co.
- Smithfield Foods
Supporters
- BTE Technologies, LLC
- Centennial Bolt, Inc.
- Greenerd Press & Machine Company, Inc.
- Irex Corporation
- Jamison Door Company
- Ketchie, Inc.
- Marlin Steel Wire Products LLC
- Phoenix Closures, Inc.
- Protolabs
- Staub Manufacturing Solutions
- Winton Machine Company
The NAM also announced that Ingersoll Rand Chairman and CEO Michael Lamach, Emerson Chairman and CEO David Farr and retired Fluor Corporation Chairman and CEO David Seaton will co-chair the campaign.
-NAM-
The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.37 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.
