Mark Your Calendar for #FLMfgMonth17

It’s that time of the year to adjust your lens and focus your attention on Manufacturing Day/Month—a nationwide event to celebrate American Manufacturing. In Florida Manufacturing Month, which is celebrated annually in October, has played a dominant role with the state leading the nation in the number of industry tours hosted for middle and high school students. This year FloridaMakes and its network of Regional Manufacturers Associations are taking the lead in organizing statewide industry tours and events that kick starts on MFG Day which is October 6!

There are several ways to participate and be part of this national phenomenon. Outlined below are a few priority

“TO DO” items to get the ball rolling on your regional efforts:

• Industry Tours: Contact your local school district and/or regional manufacturers associations right away to plan your industry tours. 
• Tour Resources: Review Educational/Tour Resources on the FLATE Wiki: FLATE has compiled an extensive portfolio of educational resources that educators can use to formulate lesson plans before and after the industry tours. These can be accessed on the FLATE Wiki (www.flate.pbwiki.com) and on the “Made in Florida” MFG Day site at www.madeinflorida.org/manufacturing-day.
• Surveys: Familiarize yourselves with the statewide student online and/or paper-based survey structure to determine strategies for implementation in your area. Ready-to-use templates for student, teacher, parents and industry host surveys are posted on the FLATE Wiki.
• T Shirts: Order/Purchase statewide #FLMfgMonth17 t-shirts for student tours. The shirts are a tangible and long-term reminder for students and their families of the significance of manufacturing in Florida. And, it all helps put the “fun” in manufacturing! 
• Proclamations: Contact your Regional Manufacturers Association and/or your local representative to issue
  
  a local and/or regional proclamation for MFG DAY and/or MFG Month.
• MFG Day Graphics: Feel free to promote MFG Day/Month by using graphics (posters, web and email buttons) designed by FLATE and currently posted on the FLATE Wiki. 
• Press/Social Media Outreach: Alert your local press about and/or to promote regional MFG Day/Month events. Align these with your social media marketing efforts to maximize the impact of your press and/or social outreach. 
• MFG Day National Page: Post all your events at www.mfgday.com

....also important to remember is: To have fun and enjoy! 

Upcoming Manufacturing Day/Month Webinar

FLATE will be hosting two MFG Day Webinars in August. 

• Webinar 1: For regional manufacturing day coordinators will be held on August 9 at 9 a.m.
• Webinar 2: For schools districts and educators will be held on August 22 at 3 p.m. 

More information, log-in/dial-in info will be shared in the upcoming week(s), so stay tuned, and/or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, Executive Director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org/813.259.6578, and Janice Mukhia, project/outreach manager of FLATE at outreach@fl-ate.org/813.259.6581, or visit www.mfgday-fl.com. We look forward to making MFG Day/Month in Florida a grand success….. Let’s make this another banner year for Manufacturing.