Bridging the Skills Gap: Overflow Attendance at MFG DAY Event
10.15.2015
On October 2, 2015 our nation celebrated the annual Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY) event, which shines a spotlight on our great industry and the opportunities it presents for the next generation. This year there were 2,368 events held at facilities across the country, and Okuma was proud to host one of them. We’re thrilled to report that the event greatly exceeded our expectations – over 150 students and teachers visited and we treated them to an action-packed agenda designed to surprise and inspire. This interest from students is great news for our industry!
Eye-Popping Truths
During the event students from 6 high schools in the North and South Carolina area had the opportunity to get engaged with manufacturing. We had demonstrations set up throughout our Charlotte facility to show them some eye-popping truths about today’s high-tech manufacturing careers. Students rotated through 8 stations to learn about manufacturing technology, industry applications, innovation, and career options. There were several presentations made by members of Partners in THINC, who also donated some of the equipment that was on display.
Key Themes at Okuma’s Manufacturing Day Event
- Manufacturing Technology – Machining, robotics, machine tool apps, types of manufactured products
- Industries – Aerospace; automotive
Displays and Presentations
- ABB donated a beverage-serving robot to serve as an interactive display
- Mastercam demonstrated their state-of-the-art software tools for CAD/CAM manufacturing
- CU-ICAR students demonstrated technology that is currently being prototyped by companies such as BMW
- “The ABC’s of Manufactured Products” showed the surprising number of everyday goods that involve CNC machining at some point in their manufacturing process
- Machine tool apps – each student received a customized coaster cut live at the event, using a machine tool app on an Okuma MU-6300V vertical machining center
We hope we wowed the students who attended. Hopefully soon they’ll be working their way to shops around the country…maybe even yours.
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