South Bend Regional Chamber Of Commerce: Manufacturing Days 2021 Provides Virtual Career Exploration Opportunities

Press release from the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce:

October 14, 2021

Join the South Bend Regional Chamber as we partner with the Greater Niles Chamber and Michigan Works! to bring together industry and educators, including premier sponsor Ivy Tech Community College and presenting sponsors Centier Bank, The Coca-Cola Company, and the Michiana Chapter of NTMA, to shine a virtual spotlight on regional manufacturing and high-demand career opportunities. The digital format extends the reach of this annual program beyond one day – and to more students, educators, parents, and community members. MFG Days 2021 kicked off Monday, October 4, with the launch of Manufacturing Days 2021 landing page, sbrchamber.com/mfgdays.

The calendar found on the landing page provides an overview of MFG Days 2021 activities. Additional educator and student resources will be launched on the MFG Days landing page each week in October and remain accessible through September of 2022.

The Week One launch includes:•    Business Directory – Students can learn about manufacturing partners in the region: who they are, what they make, and jobs they are hiring including skills and education/training requirements•    Partner Videos – Explore these videos to see manufacturing in action. Students can get a better understanding of the organization, culture, and careers.•    LIFT Career Exploration Video Series – Check out the nine short videos debuted in 2020, which showcase manufacturers throughout the region. Listen to HR managers explain how to get a job, skills needed, and hear firsthand from workers about a day in the life.•    Industry 4.0 videos – Take a deeper dive into manufacturers in the region, hearing from all levels of management and employees as they explain their business and careers.In addition, Educator Resources includes links and ideas on how to introduce and integrate manufacturing into classroom learning and Industry Resources provide information to employers on attracting, building, and retaining workforce by leveraging regional, state, and national resources.

The last two weeks of October will bring students and manufacturers together, virtually, through Industry Chats. We are excited to continue building digital tools and virtual opportunities that will give students the chance to explore manufacturing careers throughout the year.

“Our industry and education partners continue to navigate many COVID-related challenges, while also working to ensure the talent pipeline continues to be filled by well-prepared students who are aware of the many opportunities available in our manufacturing sector. The Chamber is excited to continue supporting this important work and build on the virtual MFG Days format created in 2020,” says South Bend Regional Chamber President & CEO Jeff Rea. “10,000+ visits were made to the 2020 virtual toolkit of resources, allowing educators and students to engage in ways that work for their schedules. We look forward to finding new ways to increase collaboration between business and education in our region and are proud to serve as a connector and leader of initiatives like Manufacturing Days.”

Since the first MFG Day in 2014, 82 industry and education/training partners and more than 5,500 high school students from Adams, Career Academy, Clay, Mishawaka, New Prairie, Penn, Riley, River Montessori, St. Joseph, and Washington have been connected through MFG Days in the South Bend Region. The virtual reach established in 2020 made it possible to also include employers and students from the Michigan counties of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren.

Access our landing page, sbrchamber.com/mfgdays, weekly in October and beyond to check out all the resources, including a new series of LIFT Network education and career videos, career pathway pages, and classroom-ready presentations. Industry and education partners who would like to get connected through MFG Days 2021 are encouraged to contact [email protected] for additional information.

MFG Day is a national initiative of The Manufacturing Institute, with the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association as a founding partner. The Institute grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The Institute’s diverse initiatives support women, veterans, students and workers through skills training programs, community building and supporting the advancement of their career in manufacturing. As the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Institute is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry’s toughest challenges.

This press release was produced by the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.