September 26, 2018
St. Charles County, Missouri — As Manufacturing Day 2018 approaches, the American Job Centers across metro St. Louis are working together to celebrate and promote this popular event with special activities for middle and high school students, tours of local businesses, job fairs and more.
“From aerospace and automobiles to plastics and electronics, manufacturing is still one of the leading fields in the St. Louis metropolitan area and accounts for more than $15 billion of total annual wages in Missouri, second only to the health care industry,” says Scott J. Drachnik, Director of the St. Charles County Department of Workforce and Business Development. Drachnik is the 2018 president of the St. Louis Regional Workforce Development Directors Association that includes the workforce development departments of St. Charles County, St. Louis County, St. Louis City, Jefferson-Franklin Counties and the Illinois counties of Madison and St. Clair.
“National Manufacturing Day is a wonderful opportunity to introduce the next generation to all the career and training opportunities in the manufacturing sector,” he adds. “Manufacturing is alive and well in our region and across the United States.”
Some of the largest cooperative events the Job Centers are hosting include:
15th Annual Missouri Manufacturing Summit & Expo and the Made in Missouri Career Fair
7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27, Summit & Expo
9 a.m. to noon, Sept. 28, Career Fair
Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel in St. Louis County
Both events are open to the public.
Hosted by the Missouri Association of Manufacturers in cooperation with the Job Centers around metro St. Louis.
missourimanufacturers.org/
6th Annual St. Charles County Manufacturing Day
8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2
St. Charles Community College in Cottleville
Pre-registered students only; closed to the public.
Hosted by St. Charles Community College, City of O’Fallon, O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries, St. Charles County Government, EDC Business & Community Partners and more.
growmanufacturing.org/
Third Annual Manufacturing Day 2018
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 5
Jefferson College Field House in Hillsboro
Open to the public.
Hosted by Jefferson College in partnership with the Jefferson-Franklin Counties Employment Consortium.
jeffco.edu/news/Manufacturing-Day-2018
Manufacturing Day 2018 Open House
8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 12
Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) Sam Wolf Granite City Campus
Open to the public.
Hosted by SWIC, Gene Haas Foundation, Granite City Economic Development Department, IMEC – Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, Madison County Employment and Training, St. Clair County IGD – Workforce Development Group and the Southwestern Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
“Along with large-scale events organized by schools and civic organizations, various manufacturers around the region are holding special events to commemorate Manufacturing Day 2018,” Drachnik says.
In St. Charles County, Annual Manufacturing Day celebrations started six years ago by Component Bar Products in O’Fallon. That effort has grown into an event held at St. Charles Community College that will attract more than 800 students this year and include 30 business exhibitors with 15 tour sites.
To register an event or find out about other Manufacturing Day activities in the region, visit mfgday.com
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Media Contact: Mary Enger, Communications Director, 636-949-1856, or 636-443-1008, menger@sccmo.org