Manufacturing Month CaliforniaToday, October 4th is Manufacturing Day, or MFG Day! That means manufacturers across California and the country will be opening their doors to students, educators, elected officials, and the media to spread the word about the importance of manufacturing, the benefits it brings to our nation, and career opportunities within the industry. This event has grown in size since its inception in 2012, and last year, more than 580 sites hosted, participated in, or sponsored events in the Golden State alone. The tremendous success of this initiative has led to the creation of Manufacturing Month in California (MFG Month-CA), which kicks off today as well and runs through October.

Why California Manufacturing Month?

California is the most populous state in the nation and home to nearly 40,000 manufacturers, so limiting events to just one day seemed very inadequate, potentially leaving out hundreds of manufacturers and schools. To remedy this, Manufacturing Month was launched to pair up schools wishing to attend events with manufacturers and other organizations hosting open houses, career fairs, and expos at any time throughout the month. At these events, students will receive first-hand exposure to today’s manufacturing technologies in industries employing highly-skilled and well-paid individuals while offering exciting, rewarding, and innovative work environments. The initiative is designed after and inspired by the mission of MFG Day:

  • Connect with future generations
  • Take charge of the public image of manufacturing
  • Ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry

MFG Month-CA and the California Economy

The World Bank ranks California as the sixth-largest economy in the world, and many sectors are seeing rapid growth. However, studies show that a skills gap will leave nearly 2.5 million manufacturing jobs unfilled over the next decade. In addition, nearly one-quarter of manufacturing employees are age 55 or older and nearing retirement, making it crucial to find and train new talent. Manufacturing Day has proven that exposing children and young adults to manufacturing jobs can generate interest in the field. In fact, a Deloitte survey of nearly 270,000 students participating in 2016 revealed that:

  • 89% were made more aware of manufacturing jobs in their communities
  • 84% were more convinced that manufacturing provides careers that are interesting and rewarding
  • 64% are more motivated to pursue careers in manufacturing

With numbers like these, it’s no surprise the event has evolved into Manufacturing Month in California. To learn more and get involved in MFG Month-CA, click the button below!

Learn More to Participate

Looking for some assets to help you make the most of your Manufacturing Month event? Check out this MFG Day Smart Manufacturing comic book and app by PTC that you can use at your event to showcase to students how augmented reality, IoT, and additive manufacturing are transforming the way we do business! Get it here.

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