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AFS Encourages Metalcasters to Join 2017 Manufacturing Day Movement and Educate the Next Generation

In celebration of Manufacturing Day, AFS will be hosting local students for its 4th Annual Manufacturing Day event coinciding with the national advocacy day supporting careers in manufacturing. The AFS Manufacturing Day event will feature interactive metalcasting demonstrations, career presentations from companies in the industry, trivia, and more. AFS is encouraging its member companies to become involved in promoting manufacturing jobs by hosting, attending, or providing resources for an event at their business.   

Manufacturing Day is an annual national event executed at the local level and supported by thousands of manufacturers as they host students, teachers, parents, job seekers and other local community members at open houses, plant tours and presentations. The event is designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers. Since 2012 the official number of Manufacturing Day events has increased over 1,000% with more than 2,800 official events nationwide as manufacturers see the value in inspiring the next generation of manufacturers helping to shift public perceptions of manufacturing careers and the economic and social significance manufacturing plays in the U.S.

“It’s our job to promote and showcase the great opportunities available in manufacturing and metalcasting to the next generation,” said AFS CEO, Doug Kurkul.  “It’s exciting to see the movement grow every year. Manufacturing is vital to our economy and our daily lives and this is one key chance to improve public perception about our industry.”   

Local students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning more about careers in the metalcasting industry are invited to visit AFS headquarters on Friday, October 6 to learn how castings are made, see the applications and uses in everyday life, and hear about the career opportunities possible. Participants also will make their own casting to take home.

For more information or to register a group to attend the AFS open house, click here. Or contact Kevin Bartholomae at kbartholomae@afsinc.org or 847-245-0181.

To host your own event, a toolkit is available to help plan a Manufacturing Day event at www.mfgday.com. The toolkit includes resources on event formats, audiences, tips for success.

AFS is a not-for-profit technical and management society that has existed since 1896 to provide and promote knowledge and services that strengthen the $30.3 billion metalcasting industry.


Shelly Dutler, AFS Institute Director of Education, talks to a student and his father about metal and microstructure analysis at the 2016 AFS Manufacturing Day event.