NFPA Members Inspire the Next Generation

Throughout the month of October, NFPA members opened their doors to expand knowledge about and improve general public perception of careers in the industry. Each experience was unique. Companies found it beneficial to establish relationships with educational institutions, and some took it a step further and connected with the local chamber of commerce and elected officials.

Here is the variety of ways NFPA members worked to inspire the next generation this October:

• Aggressive Hydraulics: Hosted an open house for students and parents to explore fluid power manufacturing and career options. Afterwards, the schools extended an invitation to speak with incoming students each trimester about manufacturing. Congressman Tom Emmer even stopped by for a tour.
• Airline Hydraulics: Encouraged the community to come witness the fabrication of complex, engineered systems during their facility tour and greeted about 100 students and teachers.
• Balluff: Welcomed 120 visitors and showed them how sensors and automation work. College admissions reps came to speak to students and parents about various manufacturing degree programs.
• Daman: Rotated three tour groups of 30 students and organized a check-in-to-win contest, which added to the day’s activities.
• FORCE: Gave area high school students a tour of the facility and an overview of fluid power and its applications. Afterwards, students were challenged to notice where fluid power might be applied on their trip back to school.
• Lanxess: Applied a two-pronged approach that included manufacturing site events and a video competition. Participating schools had a chance to win $5,000, $3,000, or $1,500 to buy equipment and supplies for their chemistry or science lab.
• Moseys: Hosted 86 local area high school students in California. The company offers tours all year long, as well, for those that couldn’t make it on MFG Day.
• Paragon Technologies: Collaborated with the Macomb County Economic Development committee and educators and administrators, contributing to the county-wide mission of reaching 2,000 students on October 6th.
• Woodward: Launched a new tour process where guides use a combination of iPads and video monitors as students make their stops across the manufacturing floor.

Have you been interested in engaging with your local community? MFGDay.com has plenty of resources that help companies to figure out what type of event to host. Contact Stephanie Scaccianoce at sscaccianoce@nfpa.com for help connecting with local schools.

If you hosted an MFG Day event, tell us your story! Contact Stephanie at sscaccianoce@nfpa.com.