DMI Cos. opened the doors of its Monongahela, Pennsylvania-based manufacturing facility on Oct. 5 to students, guidance counselors and teachers from three local high schools to celebrate Manufacturing Day 2016.

The nationwide annual event officially occurs on the first Friday of October, which was Oct. 7, and is designed to improve public perception of manufacturing career opportunities.

“There is an increasing demand for highly skilled professionals in the manufacturing sector who can design, program and operate technology,” said Raymond Yeager, president and CEO of DMI Cos. “The average age of a manufacturing employee is 56, and between now and 2020 there will be an unprecedented shortage of skilled workers who will need to be replaced.”

Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce Laura Taylor-Kale and John Thomas of Pittsburgh-based Beck & Thomas law firm were also in attendance to speak to the students about career opportunities in manufacturing. During the visit, DMI employees offered presentations, tours of the facility and hands-on experiences to the students. 

Manufacturing Day is co-produced by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. 

For a video from the event, visit the company's YouTube page.