Friday is manufacturing day. And, if you have an image of someone like Rosie the Riveter in mind when you think about manufacturing, well, that’s a bit outdated. In fact, manufacturing is a huge part of the future of Indiana’s job potential.

“In the state of Indiana over half a million people work in the manufacturing sector,” said Ed Youdell, President & CEO, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International. He said that’s why people getting ready for the job market need to be aware that those jobs are there.

“So it’s really important that we create that exposure today because they’re amongst the best paying jobs in the state of Indiana.”

He said most of the jobs now are high-tech, and the wages can support a family, in many cases.

“There’s a very outdated perception of what manufacturing is and we need to change that one person at a time,” he said.

Youdell said that over two and a half million people from the “baby boom” generation are getting ready to retire, so educational events like manufacturing day are necessary to get younger people interested. Then, they can pursue an education that could get them ready for modern manufacturing fields.

“Indiana has a wonderful technical education system. We think that’s a great pathway forward because it gets people into the workforce faster and at a much more affordable price.”

Manufacturing day is celebrating five years. There are over 3,000 events in all 50 states. That includes over 80 in Indiana.

“Go to mfgday.com. They can pick through 83 events in Indiana,” said Youdell, who said it’s not confined to just Friday. “They can go to Benteler Automotive in Goshen, or Cardinal Manufacturing in Indianapolis. Those are just two events in the state of Indiana where they can go for tours and see modern manufacturing in action.”