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What a blast! The West Columbia, South Carolina, tour stop of the Creators Wanted Live mobile experience drew hundreds of participants, getting job seekers and students excited about careers in manufacturing.

What went on: With inspirational talks and visits from public figures and well-known business leaders, the second stop on the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute’s cross-country trip drew plenty of attention. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster stopped by to try out the project’s immersive mobile experience, and others, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation President, CEO and Owner Lou Kennedy and Trane Technologies Plant Manager Gregg Krick, gave students heartfelt, inspirational talks about the rewards of manufacturing careers.

The reaction: The NAM and MI team in charge of the tour captured some of the excited reaction to these events on video. Here are just a few clips to give you a taste.

Donte Jackson, a senior at Airport High School in West Columbia, South Carolina, was pleasantly surprised by the teamwork it took to complete the mobile experience challenges:

Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, Executive Director of the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center in West Columbia, South Carolina, talks about her students’ positive reactions to the mobile experience:

“The Creators Wanted mobile experience sealed the deal” for Airport High School 11^th grader Kenneth Pearson:

Chatting with Trane Technologies representatives, Airport High School students Donte Jackson, Lamont Taylor and Kenneth Pearson discover some of the exciting (and well-paying!) positions on offer in manufacturing:

“I think this is an awesome opportunity for them to see what’s out there.” Hear more from Mike Harlen, a teacher at Lexington 2 Innovation Center in Cayce, South Carolina:

What’s communication got to do with it? As it turns out, a lot! Airport High School senior Lamont Taylor talks about what he learned from the mobile experience:

There’s more: Creators Wanted is less than a week away from its third tour stop in Pella, Iowa. RSVP today to reserve your spot!

Are you looking for a retirement plan that fits your needs and workforce? There’s good news: the NAM is rolling out the Manufacturers Retirement & Savings Plan—a 401(k) plan designed specifically for manufacturers across the country.

The scope: The Manufacturers Retirement & Savings Plan is a multiple employer plan available to all NAM members, designed to cover more than 14,000 companies and associations. Companies of all sizes can participate, creating new financial opportunities and offering retirement security to the millions of men and women who make things in America.

The provider: The NAM selected Principal Financial Group® and HUB International LLC as the service providers. Principal Financial Group® is one of the largest retirement solutions providers in the United States, and HUB International is a leading North American insurance brokerage. Together, they will offer business owners and employees access to dedicated professionals who can offer guidance and assist with the day-to-day management of retirement plans.

The benefit: Offering benefits like 401(k) plans is a critical way for manufacturers to attract and retain talented employees, especially at a time of unprecedented job openings. But creating and operating a retirement plan can be expensive and time-consuming, imposing barriers for small and medium-sized companies. By creating an association-sponsored plan, the NAM is helping members across the board ensure efficiency, reduce risks and manage costs effectively all while improving retirement outcomes for employees and helping employers free up time and money. And with National Benefit Services engaged to administer the new plan, transitioning is simple as well.

What we’re saying: “Manufacturers want their employees to feel safe and secure about their financial well-being and to have confidence that they will be able to retire when they are ready,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “But operating a 401(k) plan can be challenging—especially for smaller companies. We can help with this—I’m proud that the NAM now offers our members access to best-in-class benefits for their teams.”

Learn more: Join us at one of two upcoming information sessions, Nov. 9, 2021 or Dec. 7, 2021.

The NAM and the MI’s Creators Wanted initiative has rolled out a new online game for students, teachers, parents, guidance counselors and emerging workers nationwide. The “Making the Future” experience is a choose-your-own-adventure video that helps gamers think better of modern manufacturing.

The details: The experience aims to address misperceptions about the industry and to connect with today’s tech-savvy student and job seeker. With the ability to choose levels of difficulty and navigate the interactive experience differently based on choices and answers, gamers will bust myths, crack codes and solve problems to earn their badges as creators.

Familiar approach: The game is using the “learn by doing” philosophy at the core of the in-person Creators Wanted mobile experience to excite and educate potential manufacturers and individuals who influence career choices about the growth, reward and opportunity in the industry, as well as the talents and attributes that are a part of manufacturing careers.

Creators Wanted tour anywhere: “Where the mobile experience can’t be physically, we figured out a way to replicate it into a digital experience for anyone across the country to access,” said NAM Senior Vice President of Communications and Brand Strategy Erin Streeter. “We’ve designed this entire campaign to meet people where they are with the right messages and at the right times.”

Access point: The new interactive game is now live on the CreatorsWanted.org website. It represents another major development by the NAM and MI teams to broaden the reach and impact of the Creators Wanted campaign beyond in-person tour stops and COVID-19 crowd limitations.

Last word: “We’re sharing comprehensive online tools that not only get the next generation of talent excited but also teach them how to take the next step and become a manufacturer,” said MI Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “These tools are ideal for manufacturers, teachers, parents, government officials … really anyone who wants to help kids and emerging workers see how they can create their future in America. We hope manufacturers will share these resources with education partners and their teams, so they can share with kids and job seekers.”

MFG Day 2021 was a smashing success. This year, manufacturers throughout the nation hosted open houses, factory tours and job fairs—both on site and online—to introduce young people and others to the promise of modern manufacturing. And many companies and leaders took to social media to show their support and love for the industry. Here’s what we saw on Friday.

Presidential nod: On Sept. 30, President Biden proclaimed Oct. 1 to be National Manufacturing Day, to “commit to strengthening and supporting the American manufacturers and hardworking manufacturing employees of today as well as the manufacturers and workers of the future.”

State (and federal) support: At least 15 states issued their own Manufacturing Day proclamations, and more than 40 congressional representatives publicly marked the occasion.

Connecticut has an incredible manufacturing tradition going back generations.
⁰But manufacturing today is not the same as your grandparents’. It’s clean, green, computer centric, doesn't require a 2 or 4-year degree, and is a good paying job. #MFGDay21 pic.twitter.com/flYrdvfmkO

— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) October 1, 2021

Today, we bring awareness to the US manufacturing industry — jobs that are vital to our national economy and essential to our communities in Oklahoma. Thank you to past and current creators who have worked hard to shape the manufacturing industry in our country. @MFGDay #MFGDay21 pic.twitter.com/rGlPp0cFmA

— Rep. Stephanie Bice (@RepBice) October 1, 2021

As we celebrate Manufacturing Day, know I’m committed to not only elevating Georgia as a manufacturing hub for our 21st Century economy, but also supporting the dignity of work for our hardworking manufacturers. #MFGDay21

— Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (@SenatorWarnock) October 1, 2021

#Ohio has the best workforce in the country. Today we celebrate the millions of men and women whose hard work in the factories and on the shop floors fuels America’s economic prosperity. Happy #ManufacturingDay!

— Rob Portman (@robportmanOH) October 1, 2021

Manufacturers in action: Hundreds of events took place across nearly all 50 states, both online and in-person.

Interested in a career in manufacturing? Join us TODAY for an @MfgDay virtual event where our employees will talk about what it is like to work for Smithfield Foods! Open to students, teachers and parents. #MFGDay21 https://t.co/46s6PHPEoo pic.twitter.com/EIOvtLitvc

— Smithfield Foods (@SmithfieldFoods) October 1, 2021

Happy #MFGDay21! See what we have planned for this celebration: https://t.co/pSQTTtrMiW #CareersinConstructionMonth pic.twitter.com/BWy0bWIkxN

— Cornerstone Building Brands (@CornerstoneBB_) October 1, 2021

Big support: MFG Day sponsors also marked the occasion:

We are proud to be an official sponsor of #MFGDay21

We join thousands of companies & educational institutions around the nation in celebrating & showcasing modern manufacturing & career opportunities.#Creatorswanted#THINKOUTSIDE @ShopFloorNAMhttps://t.co/ycIeVTzzkp https://t.co/hReC5zaLu4

— Polaris Inc. (@PolarisInc) October 1, 2021

Manufacturing Day is held annually on the first Friday of October to showcase what modern manufacturing is all about. We at JELD-WEN embrace this day and invite you to see what #JELDWEN careers are available in your area, click here: https://t.co/pCPZXbnhU9 #JELDWEN #MFGDay21! pic.twitter.com/2z3dLC8lUw

— JELD-WEN (@JELDWEN) October 1, 2021

In the news: Many local and national media outlets covered the day’s events. The coverage included an interview with NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street,” along with pieces and segments in Yahoo! Finance, The Times Leader and The Chattanoogan, as well as on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX affiliates nationwide.

More to come: “MFG Day” actually lasts for the entire month of October, so be sure to check out upcoming events at CreatorsWanted.org.

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Manufacturers and its workforce development and education partner, The Manufacturing Institute, announce the start of MFG Day 2021. Celebrated annually on the first Friday in October and with programming continuing throughout the month, MFG Day features focused events to showcase the exciting reality of modern manufacturing.

“The two biggest issues facing manufacturers in America are an ongoing perception problem and the skills gap,” said MI Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “We have nearly 900,000 open jobs in manufacturing—a record for the industry—and 4 million jobs will need to be filled by the end of the decade. Closing that gap requires us to inspire, educate and empower the next generation of manufacturing workers—and that’s where MFG Day and our larger Creators Wanted campaign come in. MFG Day provides manufacturers from coast to coast the opportunity to open their doors and highlight the work of the people who make things in America, which will help us recruit skilled talent and reach next-generation manufacturing employees.”

Manufacturers will open their doors—in person or virtually—to students, parents, teachers and community leaders to offer a firsthand look at the career possibilities in the manufacturing industry. Originally founded by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International, MFG Day is an initiative of the MI and also advances the mission of Creators Wanted, the industry’s year-round effort to build the workforce of the future.

NAM President and CEO and MI Chairman of the Board Jay Timmons added:

“As manufacturers of all sizes host MFG Day events and provide firsthand looks at the exciting world of modern manufacturing, attendees will come away with an incredible understanding of the possibilities available to them and with a head start on well-paying, challenging and rewarding careers like no other. MFG Day and all of the related events going on throughout October, along with the continued work of Creators Wanted, are essential parts of manufacturers’ ongoing, legacy work to strengthen and grow the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow.”

-The MI-

The MI grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI’s diverse initiatives support all workers in America, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and the advancement of their career in manufacturing. As the workforce development and education partner of the NAM, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. For more information on the MI, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

It’s finally here: MFG Day 2021!

Today The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s workforce development and education partner, officially kicks off the ninth annual day dedicated to inspiring the next generation of U.S. manufacturers.

Not just a day: Despite its name, the initiative will in fact run the entire month of October, and will feature nationwide, manufacturer-planned events aimed at giving students, parents and educators the chance to tour manufacturing facilities both virtually and in person.

• Events include factory tours, expos, open hours, job fairs and community gatherings—you can find a complete list here.
• Currently, there are more than 400 events registered on the MI website. Find out what’s happening in your area and sign up today!

Why it matters: As of July, the manufacturing industry had close to 900,000 open jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If the trend continues, this deficit could grow to 2.1 million by 2030, according to a recent study by the MI and Deloitte. It’s never been more urgent to get people interested in rewarding, lifelong manufacturing careers—for their own sake and the country’s.

• The matter is of such importance that President Biden issued a proclamation declaring October 1 National Manufacturing Day, calling it a day on which “we … recognize the importance of our Nation’s manufacturers to every aspect of our lives.”

What you can do: The MI has a host of resources for those of you who want to spread the word and get involved. These include: 

• Resources for students: The MI has unveiled a website for future creators, the students who might be considering manufacturing careers. Check it out or pass it on to a student you know.
• Resources for manufacturers: Manufacturers who are currently planning an event, or considering one for later this year, we’ve got you covered! Check out this library of planning resources, including recordings of our four-part MFG Day planning series.

• Become a sponsor: If you can’t host this year, why not sponsor the effort? View this year’s prospectus to learn more about how you can become an MFG Day sponsor and receive additional support.

And don’t forget Creators Wanted! The Creators Wanted immersive experience also launches this month, with its first tour stop in Columbus, Ohio coming next week. It will be open from October 4 to 7 at Mitchell Hall at Columbus State Community College. And don’t worry; the experience will take place under stringent COVID-19 safety protocols.

• At the mobile experience, you’ll be able to enter an Escape Room-like challenge; get hands-on with technology demonstrations; meet creators who are making a difference and excited to share their career experiences; and access exclusive resources for manufacturing career pathways.
• Reserve your own spot or get some for young people of your acquaintance here.

 The last word: As MI Executive Director Carolyn Lee says, “MFG Day provides manufacturers from coast to coast the opportunity to open their doors and highlight the work of the people who make things in America, which will help us recruit skilled talent and reach next-generation manufacturing employees.” In other words—don’t miss it!

One day last year, when schools were closed due to the pandemic, President and CEO Marcus Sheanshang brought his kids to work with him at JBM Packaging of Lebanon, Ohio. And he knew exactly who should train the kids on the company’s envelope and packaging machines: Amanda Hall, one of the company’s star employees.

But Hall isn’t just a star; she’s a star with an unusual background. As Sheanshang put it, “We were having dinner that night, and I said to the kids, ‘Do you know something very interesting about Ms. Amanda? … Ms. Amanda was in prison a few years ago.’ They said, ‘No, there’s no way.’ They wouldn’t believe me.”

A factory for fair chances: In fact, Hall’s story is almost the rule, not the exception, for JBM. One-quarter of JBM’s employees are what the company calls “fair chance” hires, or those who have been involved with the criminal-justice system. Sheanshang expects that proportion to grow to half the workforce in the coming years.

How it began: Sheanshang instituted the hiring program, in which the company actively recruits future employees from 30 correctional institutions and halfway houses, about five years ago when looking for creative strategies to address labor shortages.

• “We don’t have people applying for jobs,” Sheanshang said, referring to the manufacturing industry’s long-time struggle to find enough skilled employees. “Fair chance hiring really plugged that hole for us and allowed us to grow and get the right team members on our team who share our values. When they get out of prison, they have a spot here at JBM.”

How it works: While JBM won’t bring on anyone who has been charged with sex crimes, crimes against women or crimes against children, the company is committed to hiring and supporting all others who want and are eligible to work.

• JBM has an on-staff change coach who works with all JBM employees to help them find housing, purchase a car and more. Her success with the employees has been so profound that JBM is looking to hire another such coach, Sheanshang told us.

Grand opening: In July, the packaging business opened a second plant, this one in downtown Cincinnati. While the company’s success made this expansion possible, JBM was also aiming to move closer to its fair chance employees and potential new hires.

• “We noticed there’s a fair number of barriers in the Lebanon area [regarding] housing and transportation,” Sheanshang said. The downtown Cincinnati location offers more transportation resources “for folks looking to get back on their feet.”

Triumph over tragedy: Sheanshang is proud of the successes that fair chance employees have achieved. He shared the story of Brian, a fair chance hire who started out as a production worker and now is on the path to becoming a quality control supervisor. Another fair chance employee, Justin, also began at JBM at entry level. He is now on track to become a trainer of other employees.

• “This is not stuff that’s given to them,” Sheanshang said. “This is stuff that they’re earning.”

The last word: “I would say to any CEO or other business owner, really take a hard look at fair chance hiring,” Sheanshang said. “When it gets down to brass tacks, this is a great strategy. If you have the systems in place to help fair chance hires, this will work.”

The Manufacturing Institute recently launched its second chance hiring initiative, which helps companies recruit and retain individuals with criminal records, just as JBM does. Learn more about this initiative here.

The NAM and The Manufacturing Institute took the Creators Wanted Mobile Experience for a test-drive in advance of a nationwide launch designed to inspire, educate and empower the next generation of creators.

What it is: The Creators Wanted Mobile Experience features an escape room mounted in a mobile unit, with a series of challenges intended to help bust myths around manufacturing and show young people and their parents the exciting opportunities available in the modern manufacturing industry. The program is designed to travel to schools and community centers nationwide.

What we did: The NAM and the MI brought three groups to Dallas, Texas, to test out the Creators Wanted Mobile Experience: students aged 15–17, students aged 18–22 and parents who have children aged 15–22. The groups first had conversations about career interests and perceptions of manufacturing, followed by a walk-through of the Creators Wanted Mobile Experience and another conversation about perceptions of manufacturing and career expectations.

What we learned: The Creators Wanted Mobile Experience completely changed participants’ view of the manufacturing industry, showing them the benefits of a career in modern manufacturing and making them excited about the opportunities manufacturing offers. While most participants had previously been skeptical about the industry’s ability to offer good, rewarding career paths, individuals who went through the Creators Wanted Mobile Experience came to appreciate manufacturing as an industry that offers diverse opportunities and workforces, high-end careers, competitive wages, job security, the chance to have an impact and careers that instill pride.

Our take: “We have a record of nearly 900,000 open jobs in modern manufacturing today, and 4 million jobs to fill, according to The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, by 2030,” said NAM Vice President of Brand Strategy Chrys Kefalas. “We knew we had to try something different to recruit and excite the next generation. We’re about to hit the next phase of our campaign to bring more of these rewarding opportunities to more people—and now we can be even more confident that we have the right approaches and messages to get the job done for manufacturers and for our country.”

Don’t take our word for it: Read the endorsement of the Creators Wanted campaign in The Dallas Morning News.

• “Creators Wanted is a clever approach that teens will enjoy. We encourage parents and guidance counselors to consider it. But the larger point here is about the pipeline of workers needed to ensure our economy can continue to grow. NAM has taken the initiative to improve that pipeline, putting them ahead of the competition for now. We hope to see others join that race soon.”

Want to get involved? Join this list of manufacturing leaders and companies supporting the campaign. Click here to get involved.

Through a global pandemic, manufacturers have led the way on health and safety measures, helping keep Americans working—for the U.S. and the world. Now the manufacturing industry continues that leadership while recruiting and inspiring the creators of the future.

On the road: Creators Wanted, the workforce campaign of the NAM and the MI, is getting ready to hit the road. The campaign formalized its COVID-19 safety protocols and is employing state-of-the-art technologies, like Sphere Synexis, provided by legacy sponsor Trane Technologies, to continuously fight viruses, bacteria and other hazards in the air and on surfaces. The mobile experience, along with other programming events and new online resources, will bring the story of modern manufacturing to communities across the country.

• The experience, recently endorsed by The Dallas Morning News, is designed to capture the imaginations of students, teachers and parents and inspire the next generation of manufacturers.
• It will complement the upcoming release of the NAM and MI’s innovative online resources for those seeking a career in manufacturing.

Coming to a town near you: The NAM and MI released the following Creators Wanted Live tour dates and stops.

• Oct. 4–7: Columbus, Ohio
• Oct. 12–15: Charlotte, North Carolina
• Oct. 20–22: West Columbia, South Carolina
• Nov. 8–10: Pella, Iowa
• Nov. 16–18: Freeport, Texas
• Nov. 30 – Dec. 3: Dallas, Texas

Wait, there’s more! Community programming stops are also coming to Detroit, Michigan; Guthrie, Kentucky; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Carson City, Nevada. And a new suite of digital and online experiences and tools will bring the campaign to every state.

Thanks to strong support: “Our ability to mount this bold solution to the workforce crisis through the difficulties of a pandemic has been anything but certain,” NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons and NAM Board Chair Mike Lamach said in a joint message to NAM membership. “It has taken the unwavering and strong support of some of America’s leading enterprises and business leaders to keep this campaign alive.”

See the full list of Creators Wanted sponsors here. Want to support the effort? Get involved—at any price point—here.

Neha Phadke is a long way from home. Originally from a small farming village in India, Phadke grew sugar cane, onions, wheat and watermelon to support her seven-person family while she completed her bachelor’s degree. She moved to the United States to earn her Ph.D. in organic chemistry when Texas Tech University offered her full funding.

Today, Phadke works as a senior process chemist at Covestro, a high-tech polymer materials manufacturer that makes products used in industries including automotive, construction, health care, cosmetics, energy, electronics and sports. It’s her responsibility to find ways to improve production while maintaining quality.

Focused on manufacturing: Even when she was studying organic chemistry as an undergraduate and grad student, Phadke knew that she was more interested in applied science than academia. Near the end of her Ph.D. program in 2015, she received an internship opportunity at Covestro, which was then called Bayer Material Science. That internship turned into a job offer, and she has been working at Covestro ever since.

• “I was asked if I wanted to go into research and academia or manufacturing, and I was 100% sure I wanted to go into manufacturing,” said Phadke. “I had a feeling that this was where I belonged.”

Everything’s bigger in Texas: Still, Phadke faced a learning curve when she shifted from academia to manufacturing, including the scale of the work she was doing.

• “I had never seen big plants and reactors,” said Phadke. “I had worked on my Ph.D. in milligrams, and here I’m making more than 30,000 pounds of material in the reactors. It was fascinating, and I enjoyed the experience, process and learning through the new challenges.”

Standing up: Phadke may work in an environment that’s traditionally been male dominated, but she has never let that stop her before. Even when she was growing up, she knew that her ability to succeed should have nothing to do with her gender.

• “I was always asked if I had a sibling, and I would say I have a younger sister—and I would get sympathy for not having a brother,” said Phadke. “As a kid, I wouldn’t understand why it should make any difference. And it pushed me to think: why can’t I do anything a guy can do?”

Serving as an example: The Manufacturing Institute recently selected Phadke as a 2021 STEP Ahead Award Honoree—an honor given to women leaders who have excelled both within their companies and in the industry as a whole. She encourages other women to get involved in manufacturing and says that, while the industry might seem daunting, she’s gotten plenty of support from her colleagues and her company.

The last word: “Anything is possible,” said Phadke. “Don’t let anyone stop you from doing what you believe is right. Wear your courage, face your fears, lead your path, follow your passion and inspire others.”

Learn more about the STEP Ahead program, including how to honor remarkable women on your team, here.