Changing the Perception of Manufacturing

Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY®) 2015, including all events scheduled throughout the year, has far exceeded expectations of scale and impact, reaching more than 400,000 participants and improving the public’s perception of manufacturing.

Teachers, students, parents/influencers, and employers shared their perspective at the event using the new perception survey developed by Deloitte Development LLP (New York, NY) in collaboration with The Manufacturing Institute (MI; Washington, DC). The survey was distributed to more than 2,500 manufacturing hosts across the United States to gather national data from teachers, students and parents on how these events truly make a difference in local communities. The survey found after attending these events, 81 percent of student respondents are more convinced manufacturing provides careers that are both interesting and rewarding and 71 percent are more likely to tell friends, family, parents or colleagues about manufacturing.

“The co-producers could not be more pleased with the results of the 2015 celebration,” said Ed Youdell, the president and chief executive officer of Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA; Rockford IL), one of the co-producing organizations. “Our goal, when we created this event just three years ago, was to bring manufacturing into the mainstream. We wanted to showcase this important sector of the American economy and introduce young people to the career options and exciting work environments manufacturing offers.”

Educators’ responses to the survey also illustrated the positive impact the program has on public perception, with 90 percent indicating they are more likely to encourage students to pursue a career in manufacturing and 91 percent found the activities/tours to be interesting and engaging.

“By capturing the impact of a national MFG DAY, we can see how it has made a difference in changing the image of the industry,” said Jennifer McNelly, the executive director of MI. “Every day we aspire to make this industry better than it was yesterday, and the results of the survey illustrate how we are improving the image of the industry through these events, and positioning the industry as a rewarding career path for future generations.”

“This survey further demonstrates the changing perception of manufacturing across the country, particularly among young people, and we have events like this to thank in large part for this positive trend,” said Jay Timmons, the president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM; Washington, DC). “We appreciate the continued efforts of thousands of manufacturers from across the country to educate students, parents and their communities about the many career opportunities through our industry.”

Manufacturers responding to the survey also expressed positive feedback regarding their participation, with 94 percent finding value in participating in the event and 88 percent are more likely to continue engaging with high schools or colleges in their area. An infographic summarizing the results of the 2015 survey can be found here. To see the interactive dashboard that provides the ability to analyze results in more detail, please click here.

“It is powerful to see that our collective efforts are making a difference in educating the public about manufacturing and its rewarding careers and how we are helping manufacturers throughout the U.S. connect with the next generation workforce” said Carroll Thomas, the director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP; Gaithersburg MD).

For 2015 a  total of 2,620 events were held across North America, including all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Based on data collected from host company evaluations, more than 225,000 students and 55,000 parents, teachers and other attendees participated in these live events. Twelve virtual events helped even more people participate, with the Discovery Education and Alcoa online program reporting the largest participation of any single event, with more than 120,000 students. This brings the total number of participants in all activities to more than 400,000.

MFG DAY addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after participation, manufacturers begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

“As manufacturers opened their doors to the public, they shared firsthand the opportunities available in today’s advanced manufacturing environment. By gathering research through the Deloitte Survey, the producers can measure the impact on perception, provide insight into building upon that momentum, and further efforts to improve public perception of manufacturing,” said Craig Giffi, the vice chairman of Deloitte and an automotive industry leader.

The event is designed to amplify the voice of individual manufacturers and help them coordinate to address their common concerns and challenges. The rallying point for a growing mass movement, this empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.

Supported by more than 20 sponsoring companies and organizations, the sponsor list was headed by Platinum sponsor Shell Lubricants and Gold sponsors Alliance for American Manufacturing and SME. In addition, more than 170 organizations endorsed the event and served as the conduit through which information about the event was disseminated.

A panel of co-producers comprised of FMA, NAM, MI, MEP and guest producer Industrial Strength Marketing (ISM) provide the centralized support necessary to coordinate this nationwide array of simultaneous events. The national media partners for the event are the Science Channel and Edge Factor, and the national movie partner is American Made Movie.

www.themanufacturinginstitute.org

www.mfgday.org