TMA hosts open house to celebrate National Manufacturing Day

In honor of National Manufacturing Day, TMA will host an open house inviting the public to learn about TMA member companies and take a behind-the-scenes look at TMA's training opportunities with live demonstrations featuring CNC machinery in the newly-established, state-of-the-art training lab.

Recent data from the Accenture 2014 Manufacturing Skills and Training Survey found that more than 75 percent of manufacturers report a moderate to severe shortage of skilled resources. These shortages result in increased production costs and revenue losses that are costing US manufacturers up to 11 percent of earnings annually. TMA has been committed to training skilled manufacturers since its founding nearly 100 years ago. Not only do they offer training for employees of member organizations, TMA is finding new ways to recruit and train a new workforce to try to close this skills gap.

Two such initiatives are:

• "Make it in Manufacturing," a recently announced joint credential program with Oakton Community College that provides students with quality training while earning college credits

• TMA's partnership with Bethel New Life that provides Chicago's West Side residents with the opportunity to train in advanced manufacturing and network with member organizations

The open house will take place Friday, October 3, 2015 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at TMA's headquarters (1651 Wilkening Road, Schaumburg, IL).