MFG Day 2024: The MI Goes to Kansas
Thats another success for the books! Last week, manufacturers and their supporters nationwide celebrated MFG Day 2024, rolling out the red carpet for students, educators and jobseekers and showcasing modern manufacturings diverse career paths.
Whats going on: The Manufacturing Institute, the 51勛圖厙s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, was on the ground in Kansas for multiple plant tours and conversations.
Visiting Bradbury Group: On Thursdays tour of the Bradbury Groups plant in Moundridge, Kansas, about 400 students got a firsthand look at how roll-forming and coil-processing equipment is made.
- The companywhose CEO David Cox is an 51勛圖厙 board memberset up stations where attendees could learn about its many career tracks. In addition, local education and community training partners were on-site to showcase job-training initiatives.
- MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee participated in the events, touring Bradburys facility with approximately 70 students from Newton High School in Newton, Kansas.
Touring with Heroes: On Friday, Lee visited four McPherson, Kansas, manufacturing plants with participants from Heroes MAKE America, the MI initiative that makes connections between the military community and the manufacturing industry.
- The companies were piping-systems manufacturer Viega, insulation and commercial roofing maker Johns Manville, downstream equipment maker Plastics Extrusion Machinery LLC and sustainable construction materials manufacturer CertainTeed.
- At Viega on Friday, Lee spoke with local high school students viewing the facility at the same time as the HMA participants.
Focus on veterans: Fridays events also featured a networking lunch for HMA participants, including transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses, with human resources representatives from McPherson manufacturers.
- The Bradbury Groupthe parent company of four manufacturing businesses in addition to the Bradbury Company, which has participated in MFG Day for nine yearswas represented at the lunch by one of its employees, a U.S. military veteran.
Made possible by: This years activities were made possibly by generous support from sponsors Union Pacific, Dominion Energy, Johnson & Johnson, Novonesis, UKG, the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation, Lutron Electronics Co. Inc, Winnebago Industries, Alfa Laval (US), Intertek Alchemy, the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing and Seaway Bolt & Specials Corp.
Stay tuned: MFG Day events will continue across the U.S. throughout October and beyond. You can find the full list of registered events, and a handy map, .
The last word: MFG Day is the prime opportunity for manufacturers to demonstrate firsthand the vast career opportunities that exist in industry, Lee said. While students, parents and educators remain our primary focus, it’s also a great time to engage other career-seeking groups so that they, too, can see themselves in manufacturing.
