Helping the next generation of workers discover, then master, manufacturing careers

Of the many questions keeping manufacturing professionals awake at night, one of the most pervasive may be: How do we attract and prepare new employees to fill the expanding gaps in the manufacturing workforce?

There isn’t one decisive answer to this question, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Building the manufacturing workforce of the future demands collaborative brainstorming, creativity, and a multiple-angle approach. The issue can be broken down into two main problems: how to make manufacturing careers attractive to younger generations, and how to ensure they’re trained and qualified for the kind of technical, fast-evolving work required.

The first step is to show young people manufacturing is far from dull or uninspiring. Manufacturing Day, which was first launched as an annual event in 2012, takes place this year on October 3, but events across the United States take place for the entire month. Conceived by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), and now run by The Manufacturing Institute, Manufacturing Day invites manufacturing companies, innovation centers, educational institutions, and others involved in the industry to create events open to students and educators. These events can consist of career days, product expos, facility tours, or other experiences designed to give students an inside look at what manufacturing careers actually involve – which may be quite different from what they expect.

Manufacturing Day events have sprung up all over the United States as the industry opens its doors and invites youths to explore the financially and intellectually rewarding possibilities of technical careers. Manufacturers are encouraged to develop events and register them on the official website – or, if they’re unable to host an event, they can still register their companies as official Manufacturing Day supporters.

Dedicating a month (and beyond – as The Manufacturing Institute’s website proclaims, “every day is MFG Day!”) to manufacturing education is one response to the growing awareness that the workforce won’t simply replenish itself. And with more and more companies looking at increasing their reshoring efforts due to tariffs and other geopolitical pressures, it’s more important than ever to invest in domestic talent.

This can look like events such as Manufacturing Day, or like companies putting in the effort to ensure potential employees have access to the training they need. In this month’s cover story, you’ll learn how one medical device manufacturer developed an apprenticeship program involving formal, technical college-based training alongside on-the-job training. Plas-Tech Engineering’s attitude is if you take care of your employees from the start, if you offer them what they need to succeed, they’re more likely to become invested and committed.

This month (and beyond), consider how you can help attract and retain the next generation of manufacturers – and share your ideas with us!