Since 2014, French has been honoring National Manufacturing Month by working with local schools and educators to showcase the importance of the manufacturing industry for our national and global economy. Through our hands-on lessons and by showcasing the benefits of working within the industry, we strive to interest more students in careers in manufacturing and STEM.
The History of National Manufacturing Month
Former President Barack Obama made a presidential proclamation on October 2, 2014, declaring the first Friday of October as National Manufacturing Day, and the month of October as National Manufacturing Month. President Obama announced that the goal of the recognition is to showcase and bolster the industry because “when our manufacturing base is strong, our entire economy is strong.” In honor of the occasion, we annually open our doors and offer educational opportunities to inspire students, parents, and teachers. Furthermore, our initiatives also showcase the importance of STEM initiatives and how they are directly tied to the manufacturing industry.
The Local and National Importance of Manufacturing Month
Although the need for professionals in the manufacturing industry continues to rise, manufacturers continue to face a wide labor shortage. According to June 2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, manufacturing added 15,000 jobs; however, employment is still down by 481,000 from February 2020. Although the labor shortage has been a pervasive issue for the past several years, the pandemic has impacted it even further. Consequently, manufacturers like ourselves, plan to continue to share resources and educational opportunities.
In the United States, manufacturers employ 8.58% of the national workforce and had an output of $2,345.85 billion in 2019. In Ohio, manufacturers employ 12.74% of the workforce, whose total output in 2019 was $112.11 billion. National Manufacturing Month is an opportunity to shed some light on the importance of the manufacturing industry, to continue to sustain our economy, to propel innovation, and to connect with future generations to address the labor shortage and one day bridge the labor gap.
Student Tours at French
During National Manufacturing Month, we will be hosting an array of student groups for facility tours and engineering presentations. We strive to inspire our students and the next generation of creators.