Get Ready: Florida Plans for the Biggest Manufacturing DAY/Month Celebration on Oct. 2

TAMPA, Fla. - Aug. 28, 2015 - PRLog -- FLATE, the Florida-based, National Science Foundation Regional Center of Excellence in Manufacturing, in conjunction with Regional Manufacturers Associations (RMAs), Florida TRADE and the Manufacturers Association of Florida  are working together to plan for the biggest Manufacturing DAY/Manufacturing Month ever which will kick start on October 2. As part of the fourth, annual Manufacturing Day/Month celebrations, FLATE along with its network of statewide partners will launch a multi-pronged, statewide outreach campaign that is poised to position Florida as a national leader for hosting and organizing Manufacturing Day industry tours and events. As part of this effort, middle and high school students and educators across Florida will participate in Made in Florida (http://www.madeinflorida.org/) industry tours that are designed to showcase, educate and heighten students’, educators’ and the community’s knowledge about educational opportunities and high-skill careers in high-tech manufacturing.

Majority of the Made in Floridaindustry tours for Manufacturing Day will take place across Florida on October 2 with additional industry tours planned throughout October. Additionally, FLATE will once again take the lead in surveying statewide industry hosts, educators and students who participate in the Made in Florida industry tours. Post event survey results will be tabulated by FLATE and shared with statewide partners and stakeholders. FLATE will also help connect regional groups together, and will design/distribute shirts, provide educator resources, write/publish/distribute and report on MFG Day/month related news, and compile all student, educator, host survey data.

There are several ways and opportunities for industry, RMAs, school districts, educators, students and the community to get involved/engaged in #MFGDay2015. Typically, school districts provide bus transportation; identify programs/classes to attend tours. Regional Manufacturers Associations (RMAs) recruit companies to host student tours on MFG DAY (Oct 2, 2015), or any day in October. Either the school district, or the RMAs, or both – assign schools to tour hosts; set bus schedules; align communications between schools, companies, buses. Local manufacturers host tours and/or provide lunch. Organizations, companies, community groups, individuals, friends of manufacturing etc. help sponsor student MFG DAY t-shirts.

Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE says Manufacturing Day 2015 is geared to stir interest and/or change perceptions about manufacturing on a national level, and also build in-roads and sustainable partnerships between manufacturers, RMAs, educators, and students. FLATE’s strategy has successfully and consistently placed Florida at the top spot for hosting/coordinating Manufacturing Day events in the nation. “The Center’s ongoing efforts have focused on leveraging the promotion of the national organization and its efforts through best practices implemented in Florida, and create a common platform that has encouraged a steady increase in statewide participation for Manufacturing Day” said Barger.  FLATE hopes the initiative will serve as a vehicle in educating students, educators and the community about high-tech manufacturing/STEM-related careers, and also boost the overall effectiveness of Manufacturing Day through “Made in Florida” industry tours.

Anyone interested in participating in MFG Day/Month activities can contact FLATE directly and/or the regional manufacturers association.For information on regionally coordinated Manufacturing Day 2015 news and events, visit the Made in Florida page at www.madeinflorida.org/manufacgturing-day and the Manufacturing Month page on the Manufacturers Association of Florida Center for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence website. For information on national manufacturing day events and tours visit www.mfgday.com. You can also email Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org  and Nina Stokes, FLATE project manager at stokes@fl-ate.org . For press related information/coverage contact Janice Mukhia, communications manager for FLATE at news@fl-ate.org and Amanda Bowen, director of communications for MAF at abowen@nstephens.com.

FLATE is a National Science Foundation Regional Center of Excellence, committed to ensuring Florida has a well prepared workforce for advanced and emerging technologies. Created in 2004, FLATE is one of 42 Advanced Technological Education Centers in the United States funded by the National Science Foundation focused on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and training to meet the needs of American advanced technology industries. For more information visit www.fl-ate.org.