It’s a BIG Day in Manufacturing!  

It’s Manufacturing Day 2016!

According to the Department of Commerce:

• Manufacturing supports 17.4 million U.S. jobs
• Manufacturing career opportunities include engineers, designers, machinists, computer programmers, among others
• The annual average salary of entry-level manufacturing engineers is nearly $60,000
• The annual average salary of manufacturing workers is more than $77,000, which is approximately 17% more than similar workers employed in other sectors.
  For every $1.00 spent in manufacturing, the sector creates $1.32 for the U.S. economy.
  Manufacturing comprises 12.5% of the American GDP
• Manufacturing adds over half a trillion dollars to the economy in just five states.

These facts are not well-known but are ones that, if shared, could entice skilled workers to the manufacturing field.  And we need skilled laborers to fill the job gap that exists – and is getting wider. That is why Manufacturing Day was created.

It’s even an official DAY in Washington State, proclaimed by Governor Jay Inslee.

One of the ways that Impact Washington celebrated Manufacturing Day was by visiting Cadence Aerospace with a group of 12 professionals who were in our LECP class led by Michael Schmich and Sarah Stuart. Cadence is a highly successful Aerospace machine shop specializing in hard metal work. Machining titanium and stainless is a tricky business that requires specialized training, tools, and equipment. Cadence has developed a sophisticated management system to maintain top-notch quality and productivity. Daily Gemba walks and Smart Manufacturing implementation that provides real-time feedback on equipment/work center performance are unique elements of what they do. Acting President Janie Vigil shared how the company sets goals and collaborates with its 150-person team to adjust tactics and continuously improve processes. This is an impressive company with dynamic leadership that listens to its team. Seeing what this company does and how they do it firsthand was a great way to kick off Manufacturing Day in the Pacific Northwest!

Sarah Stuart, Account Executive for Impact Washington, and Bill Hewitt, Cadence Production Manager, are the Manufacturing Heroes of the day!

Deloit Wolfe (left), Director of Marketing and Business Development for Impact Washington, and Loren Lyon, President and Center Director (right) for Impact Washington, taking a break from marketing planning to celebrate #MFGDay16.