About: "An annual celebration of modern manufacturing during which manufacturers invite their communities - including students, educators, business people, media, and politicians - to their facilities in a collective effort to educate visitors about manufacturing career opportunities and improve public perceptions of manufacturing". The event has grown each year since it's launch in 2012, and there is now an interactive map on mfgday.com allowing you to search for local events using keywords or location.
Let's take a look at what I found when reviewing the two states I live on the borders of, Delaware and Maryland. After reading the introduction and FAQ on the site I scrolled down to view "all events" in Delaware , resulting in a total of 13 listings. There are several in each of the three counties which make up the First State so I was pleased to see that.
A search for the considerably larger state of Maryland returned 22 events, most taking place in the Baltimore area, along with one in Annapolis and one in Hagerstown. I was disappointed to see NOTHING across Delmarva, which includes a total of eight counties (Cecil, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester). We DO have manufacturing companies here - perhaps not ones participating in Friday's event - but I found the numbers to be disappointingly low.
I'm wondering if this has been noted by the local manufacturers on the Delmarva Peninsula. Surely economic development groups, Chamber of Commerce departments, tourism marketers and government leaders would want to see more representation of jobs in our area, right? I believe there is absolutely a place in our world for such enterprise. Are we seeing a decline once again in such American businesses? Is it perhaps no longer something to take pride in, when one can claim that their company offers product which is "proudly made in Maryland", or "processed here since 1949"? I know we've become a technology-driven society, but for us to give up market share in the manufacturing sector means that someone else out there is going to take it. I hope we aren't letting go of something we may find ourselves regretting when it can no longer be counted among American assets.
A search for the considerably larger state of Maryland returned 22 events, most taking place in the Baltimore area, along with one in Annapolis and one in Hagerstown. I was disappointed to see NOTHING across Delmarva, which includes a total of eight counties (Cecil, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester). We DO have manufacturing companies here - perhaps not ones participating in Friday's event - but I found the numbers to be disappointingly low.
I'm wondering if this has been noted by the local manufacturers on the Delmarva Peninsula. Surely economic development groups, Chamber of Commerce departments, tourism marketers and government leaders would want to see more representation of jobs in our area, right? I believe there is absolutely a place in our world for such enterprise. Are we seeing a decline once again in such American businesses? Is it perhaps no longer something to take pride in, when one can claim that their company offers product which is "proudly made in Maryland", or "processed here since 1949"? I know we've become a technology-driven society, but for us to give up market share in the manufacturing sector means that someone else out there is going to take it. I hope we aren't letting go of something we may find ourselves regretting when it can no longer be counted among American assets.
"Life on Delmarva" • #delmarvausa
