NFPA Endorses Manufacturing Day 2017

by Stephanie Scaccianoce

Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) is an annual celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. MFG Day occurs each year on the first Friday, making the official 2017 date October 6. Individual events happen across the country year-round, and reach thousands of students and members of the general public each year.

“Projections indicate that roughly 600,000 people attended MFG DAY events in 2016 and that 267,000 of them were students. That means that nearly 225,000 students walked away from their MFG DAY 2016 event with a more positive perception of manufacturing, according to Deloitte’s findings.” -MFGday.com

We’re told that school systems are constantly being reminded to prepare their students for the workforce. Building off of this need, we’ve been working on a few ways to help bridge the gap and immerse students in the world of fluid power careers, both through our own programs and by promoting programs that align with those goals, like MFG Day.

Traditionally, MFG Day has consisted of facility tours. However, there are other options, including

• Employee Q&A: Engineers explaining to students what “a day in the life” is like, how they got into the industry, etc.
• Team Project: Engineers work with students to help assemble a basic, pre-made fluid power classroom kit.

By engaging in this program, member companies can share their expertise with students, promote their companies and career opportunities to the local community, and make meaningful connections with educators.