Tomorrow, October 7th (N. America timezones) is Sign MFG Day 2022, featuring over seventy companies who will open their manufacturing facilities to highlight careers in signs, graphics and visual communications. While Australia has its excellent ASGA/AusSIP Sign Careers roadshows, the idea of Sign shops opening their doors to show real production, takes attracting trainees to a whole new level. Would it work here?
| Click image above to see a great video about a young American who found a career in Signs, thanks to Sign MFG Day |
Sign MFG Day is sponsored by the International Sign Association (ISA) in conjunction with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). It is held annually on the first Friday in October, though participants are free to choose another date to work around school schedules or production deadlines.
Since ISA developed the program in 2015, hundreds of companies have used the day to showcase careers in the industry. Many have gone on to hire students they
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| ISA President/CEO Lori Anderson |
met at the event, or to deepen relationships with local high school, technical and community colleges.
“This one day is an important step in solving an existential threat to our industry - recruiting new workers,” said Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO.
“Companies who have participated in Sign MFG Day have told me the value it brings to their existing employees who love talking about their work. And students have had their eyes opened to a vibrant industry with great career opportunities -- an industry that few students knew existed before participating in the event.”
Companies who participate receive a toolkit from ISA, which provides details on how to work with local schools and plan the day.
Would it work in Australia and New Zealand? The natural partner candidates would be the ASGA and NZSDA. It just could be a further step in solving the chronic staff and apprentice shortages, currently being experienced.
The ISA is also the organiser of the ISA International Sign Expo - the next one is to be held in Las Vegas from 12th-14th April 2023
More information about Sign MFG Day can be found at: workforce@signs.org and https://signs.org/mfgday.
