Every year as October rolls around manufacturers in Florida and across the country come
together to celebrate, what is dubbed as, the biggest event to mark the strength and excellence in American manufacturing. Those of you who have been involved and/or been following MFG Day over the years, are aware that MFG Day/Month is BIG in Florida. Florida held the #1 spot for a number of years in hosting and organizing MFG Month industry tours and events. Since the inception of MFG Day in 2013, MFG Day has been a statewide cohesive effort with FLATE initially taking a leading role in formulating a statewide strategy for MFG Day/Month. This effort enabled Regional Manufacturers Associations (RMAs), School Districts, Government and Community Organizations to collectively assume the role of MFG Day coordinators, and built in-roads for them to take on the task of hosting and/or organizing MFG Day industry tours and events.
Here in Florida, Manufacturing Day is not just a one day event; it is a month-long celebration that is marked by industry tours, career fairs and open houses with many cities and counties across the state issuing proclamations to mark the kick off of MFG Day/Month. 2017 marked the first year as Regional Manufacturers Associations and Regional Coordinators across the state took the drivers’ seat in formulating and implementing a regional MFG Day strategy that was customized to suit the regional interests of manufacturers. This year with hurricane Irma hurtling down the state right around the kick off of MFG Day, many tours had to be rescheduled and/or cancelled. Then too, initial reports from across the state suggest there was widespread support of and participation in MFG Day/Month across the sunshine state.
Let’s take a closer look at stats and figures from 2017 MFG Day/Month industry tours.
tours and 11 were MFG Day events. And for the first time since the advent of MFG Day in 2013, Pasco and Hernando counties also offered five virtual tours of Alcoa—the world’s sixth largest producer of aluminum. In terms of students and educators, nearly 4,300 middle and high school students, 223 educators, 111 parents/chaperones from 149 middle and high schools in 32 Florida counties toured approximately 132 industry sites as part of the “Made in Florida” industry tours for 2017 MFG Day/Month.
On the local level, in Hillsborough County 439 students and 30 educators, parents/chaperones
from 13 middle and high schools toured eight industry sites for MFG Day/Month. In Pasco-Hernando County approximately 330 students from 16 schools toured 22 industry sites. In Polk County 307 students, 32 educators, parents/chaperones from 15 schools toured 14 industry sites, while in Pinellas County 271 students and 22 educators, parents/chaperones from eight middle and high schools toured 10 industry sites for MFG Day/Month. Counties and cities across Florida issued proclamations marking Oct. 6 as MFG Day and October as MFG Month.
In looking at the preliminary post event tour surveys, a total of 2,567 student surveys were
received and tabulated. Out of the 2,567 surveys received and tabulated by FLATE, 1,064 were surveys from virtual tours at Alcoa, and 1,503 surveys from non-virtual tours across the state. Excluding the virtual tours) nearly 92% of surveyed students stated the tour helped them understand how STEM subjects are applied in advanced manufacturing industries. Over 97% of the students stated the tour helped them learn about technologies used in advanced manufacturing. Approximately 96% of surveyed students stated they would recommend other students have the same opportunity of this tour. Out of the student surveys received and tabulated by FLATE, nearly 96% said that the tour gave them new information about careers in advanced manufacturing. In taking a closer look at post event survey data and demographic breakdown, there was an approximately 85% change in girls considering a career in advanced manufacturing after the tour compared to approximately 62% boys.
Industry hosts also deemed the MIF industry tours as a valuable investment of their
company time. Of the industry tour hosts that responded to the FLATE’s surveys, 100% stated the tour was a good use of company time and resources. “Education, training and exposure is key factor in recruiting current & future workforce, and we appreciate the opportunity to be part of MFG Day” stated an industry host in a post event survey.
FLATE also surveyed educators and parents to gauge their overall experience and response to the MFG Month tours. Of the surveys received by FLATE, approximately 90% educators and parents stated they found the tour helpful in understanding Florida high-tech jobs and career opportunities. One hundred percent of the teachers/parents who responded to the online survey stated they would recommend other students have the opportunity to participate in a Made in Florida industry tour, and same percentage agreeing to promote a career in advanced manufacturing for students.
frequent updates and tweets across our social networking platforms. This year FLATE and FloridaMakes partnered with NIST to conduct a Facebook Live session to mark the kick-off of MFG Day/Month. Live videos were streamed from Southern Manufacturing Technologies on the Made in Florida Facebook page and was streamed for a national audience. NIST is currently working on compiling a video of national organizations that participated in the Facebook Live session. We will post the video on our website and/or social sites….so stay tuned!
Even as Manufacturing Month has concluded, tours and events are still being hosted through
December. Updated stats will be provided in upcoming editions of the FLATE Focus. MFG Month is special for manufacturers in Florida and across the nation as it provided a platform to showcase local, regional and statewide manufacturing to statewide stakeholders. Manufacturers, school districts, regional manufacturers’ associations, professional organizations, and many individuals contributed to make this a successful endeavor. FLATE would like to once again thank all partners involved for making 2017 Manufacturing Month a grand success!
For more information on FLATE’s statewide strategy for manufacturing day/month visit www.mfgday-fl.com. To host/organize a Made in Florida industry tour for your students, and other STEM-related initiatives during the regular academic year, contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org, or at 813.259.6578.
Here in Florida, Manufacturing Day is not just a one day event; it is a month-long celebration that is marked by industry tours, career fairs and open houses with many cities and counties across the state issuing proclamations to mark the kick off of MFG Day/Month. 2017 marked the first year as Regional Manufacturers Associations and Regional Coordinators across the state took the drivers’ seat in formulating and implementing a regional MFG Day strategy that was customized to suit the regional interests of manufacturers. This year with hurricane Irma hurtling down the state right around the kick off of MFG Day, many tours had to be rescheduled and/or cancelled. Then too, initial reports from across the state suggest there was widespread support of and participation in MFG Day/Month across the sunshine state.
Let’s take a closer look at stats and figures from 2017 MFG Day/Month industry tours.
Databytes from MFG Day
This year there were 159 tours and events for MFG Day/Month, out of which 148 were industry
On the local level, in Hillsborough County 439 students and 30 educators, parents/chaperones
Post MFG Survey Results
A defining component of MFG Day/Month, one that is exclusive to Florida, is the initiative spearheaded by FLATE to survey ALL MFG Month participants across the state. This year the RMAs took a leading role in surveying statewide industry hosts, educators, tour guides and students participating in the Made in Florida industry tours. FLATE took a leading role in providing resources and materials and posting them on the FLATE Wiki and the Made in Florida MFG Day page, to support RMAs, school district and regional organizations’ MFG Day initiatives. These included pre and post surveys, MFG Day posters, curriculum geared to support educators in their quest to get students engaged in MFG Day and excited about STEM related careers in manufacturing.In looking at the preliminary post event tour surveys, a total of 2,567 student surveys were
Industry hosts also deemed the MIF industry tours as a valuable investment of their
FLATE also surveyed educators and parents to gauge their overall experience and response to the MFG Month tours. Of the surveys received by FLATE, approximately 90% educators and parents stated they found the tour helpful in understanding Florida high-tech jobs and career opportunities. One hundred percent of the teachers/parents who responded to the online survey stated they would recommend other students have the opportunity to participate in a Made in Florida industry tour, and same percentage agreeing to promote a career in advanced manufacturing for students.
Social Footprints
Socially MFG Day was once again a hit with many organizations including FLATE posting
Even as Manufacturing Month has concluded, tours and events are still being hosted through
For more information on FLATE’s statewide strategy for manufacturing day/month visit www.mfgday-fl.com. To host/organize a Made in Florida industry tour for your students, and other STEM-related initiatives during the regular academic year, contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org, or at 813.259.6578.
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