Manufacturing Day and the Future of the Workforce

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Manufacturing Day & the Future of the Workforce

Manufacturing Day was officially October 4th this year, but here at FuzeHub, we celebrate the spirit of Manufacturing Day all month (and year) long.  
Manufacturing Day has become the day/month where manufacturing companies reach out to students and their parents about all of the different career paths they could find in manufacturing.  The Millennials are now the largest living generation in the workforce. As a result, we’ve seen a lot of shifts in the way work is done.  But as Millennials age and move into management positions, there is a new generation entering the workforce, Generation Z (Gen Z).   
Motivation Shift 
Generation Z is a little different than prior generations and manufacturing companies will need to be creative in order to attract and retain top talent.  
What can manufacturing organizations do to attract Gen Z talent? 

  • Inspire Them – Gen Z wants to work with a purpose.  
  • Schedule Flexibility – this generation doesn’t want to be owned. Often, Gen Zers would rather get paid less and have more freedom and flexibility in their schedules.  
  • Face-to-Face Interactions – Gen Z wants to work one-on-one with their managers and teams to create, not just send messages from behind a screen. 
  • Work-Life Balance – Gen Z understands it’s unhealthy to work 60 hours a week. You’ll retain more of them if you ensure that employees are able to easily manage both their work and personal lives.  

A Talent Shortage 
Manufacturing is rapidly growing, especially with digital developments causing technology to surge forward. These include: 

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Factories of the future will be able to digitally “see” a design being printed;  already AI is being used to link prototypes with their digital copies. 
  • 3D Printing – As 3D printing grows, there will be more and more ways for companies to make small-scale technologies that are hyper-customized to the business need.  
  • Digital supply chains – Both small and large manufacturers are teaming up to create reliable digital supply chains, increasing small business capabilities, while supplying larger companies with better access to the parts they need. 

This causes a need for talent that knows how to use, manage, program, and direct these technologies. Manufacturing Day was created so that today’s companies can align with and educate tomorrow’s talent.   
The History of Manufacturing Day  
Manufacturing Day was started by manufacturing companies in 2011. On October 2, 2014, then-President Barack Obama declared October 2, 2014, National Manufacturing Day.   
Manufacturing Day aims to show the world what manufacturing today is and isn’t. In 2014, 1,600 manufacturers opened their doors to the public to reveal the factories that make so much of what we use today.   
Manufacturing Day, Every Day 
We don’t think it has to be Manufacturing Day for manufacturing companies to expand their outreach efforts into the community.  
Here are some of our favorite ways to reach out to the public, and to the up-and-coming workforce about manufacturing:  

  • Sponsor STEM activities for local universities 
  • Hold plant tours to reveal the ins and outs of advanced manufacturing  
  • Launch training programs for the local community (bonus points if it’s free training)  
  • Engage in mentorship programs with Gen Z students 
  • Open workspaces with access to manufacturing technologies (like 3D printers)
  • Create flexible work environments with opportunities for growth  

Give one of these ideas a try and enjoy the fruits of your labor with better recruitment efforts now and in the future.
Check out this year’s winners of FuzeHub’s Millennials in Manufacturing Awards.

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