A warm bath. Freshly cut roses. Contagious smiles. Dazzling mood lighting. Inner beauty. And a frothy Greek potation.
What do they have in common? Aside from the makings of a steamy romance novel or your just rewards after a hard day’s work, they all share a designated celebration day: Oct. 7. While many are mere marketing ploys enabled by industry lobbyists to fill calendars with National “fill-in-the blank” Days (e.g., Bathtub, LED Lighting, Flower, and Frappe), others are more meaningful. National Inner Beauty Day, for example, raises awareness and supports victims of human trafficking. And Team Margot Day encourages registration of stem cell and bone marrow donors to help treat critical diseases and injuries.
National Manufacturing (MFG) Day also has a significant purpose:
Connecting students, parents, teachers, and community leaders with leading U.S. companies and educational institutions. Each year, thousands of manufacturers open their doors to showcase their latest technologies, products, and processes. The goal is to inspire the next-generation of skilled workers to pursue manufacturing careers.
Initiated by the Fabricators and Manufacturers’ Association in 2012, MFG Day is held the first Friday of October. The day—Oct. 7 this year—kicks off events throughout the month, including shop floor walkthroughs, exhibitions, seminars, webinars, and job fairs. The latter is especially important considering that North American manufacturers are expected to need to fill more than 4 million “high-skill, high-tech, and high-paying” jobs over the next decade.
Some 14,000 manufacturers and related organizations plan to participate.
SME once again supports the initiative with programs throughout October to help foster learning and collaboration between manufacturers and young creators. The list of events, powered by SME Membership, includes traditional webinars—Creating Pathways for a Diverse Talent Pool and Growing a Career and Defining Opportunities in Manufacturing—and moderated “Shop Talks,” which are open-forum discussions on a key or emerging industry topic or technology. Subject matter experts are invited to share their insights and experiences.
To cap it all off, SME Membership will host a virtual happy hour from 4-5 p.m. on Oct. 28. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite beverage (frappes sold separately) and share takeaways learned throughout the month.
For more information, visit sme.org/engage/manufacturing-day/.
This month’s issue of Manufacturing Engineering also encourages collaboration, education, and industry leadership with features on advanced robotics, laser processing, waterjets, and next-gen EDM and grinding technologies.
So kick back, draw a bath, or put on your favorite plaid (also an Oct. 7 thing) and enjoy the day—whatever you’re celebrating!
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