TOLLAND, Conn. -- CNC Software, Inc., developer of the CAD/CAM software Mastercam, hosted a Manufacturing Day event October 4, 2019 at its Tolland location. The event was for students interested in manufacturing and acted as a showcase for opportunities within the industry.

Attendees at CNC Software’s Manufacturing Day event were shown how to start their careers in manufacturing. A panel with representatives from various departments within the company spoke to students about their jobs and backgrounds and answered questions.

Students watched a Design then Cut demonstration that followed the process of designing a part within Mastercam all the way to cutting the part with a CNC machine. The students also had the opportunity to get a close-up look at the University of Connecticut’s Formula SAE car, an example of student-led design and engineering.

According to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, manufacturing within Connecticut employs more than 160,000 people and adds almost $30 billion to the state’s annual GDP. However, nearly one fifth of the workforce is nearing retirement age, and the manufacturing sector is still growing. The 2017 Survey of Connecticut Manufacturing Workforce Needs found that 98 percent of surveyed companies were planning to hire full-time employees in the near future but were concerned that there was not enough training or interest to fill these positions.

Manufacturing Day was started by Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International in 2012 as a national endeavor to change the public’s view of modern manufacturing and to provide a platform for manufacturers to communicate their challenges and triumphs. Now, The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, produces Manufacturing Day and invites manufacturing companies to join them in celebrating manufacturing throughout the month of October. The occasion allows organizations to describe careers in modern manufacturing while addressing the skilled labor shortage. See http://mastercam.com.