Manufacturing Month will be taking place at Jamestown Community College’s Manufacturing Technology Institute during the month of October. Special programs will be sponsored by JCC, the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier and Dream It Do It Western New York. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Manufacturing, with a focus on its educational and economic components, will be celebrated during Manufacturing Month in October at Jamestown Community College.

The programs are sponsored by JCC, the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier and Dream It Do It Western New York.

Manufacturing Day, held annually on the first Friday in October, was launched by the National Association of Manufacturers to encourage companies and educational institutions to open its doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders.

MAST, a member of the National Association of Manufacturers, expanded Manufacturing Day to Manufacturing Month during the past several years due to the amount of programming deployed through the association’s workforce pipeline initiative, Dream It Do It.

According to MAST executive director Todd Tranum, “Manufacturing Month celebrates the enormous economic impact manufacturing delivers to our economy and provides an opportunity to showcase the technology and innovation that occurs in facilities across the region,” he said. “Manufacturers in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties account for $7.6 billion in shipments and $890 million in payroll. That is an economic contribution worth celebrating.”

Elected officials in Jamestown and Olean will present proclamations at 9 a.m. on Manufacturing Day, Oct. 4, at the Manufacturing Technology Institute facilities located on JCC’s Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses. Students from throughout the region will tour various manufacturing facilities, including visits to JCC’s MTI facilities, on Oct. 4 also.

New features of JCC’s programs and training services for those interested in manufacturing will be the focus of several other events, according to Holger Ekanger, JCC’s vice president of workforce readiness.

“Manufacturing Month presents an opportunity for JCC to interact with manufacturers, students and educators, showcase our current technology, and introduce new automation, controls and robotics components,” Ekanger said. “JCC is strengthening its reputation as the region’s preferred provider of education and training services for manufacturers.”

JCC offers industrial equipment technology, machine tool technology, welding technology and CAD/CNC certificate programs, and the welding technology and mechanical technology degree programs at its MTI facilities.

Vendors will demonstrate computer numerical control, machining, controls, automation and robotic equipment during a special program on Oct. 14 at the Olean MTI and Oct. 15 at the Jamestown MTI. The event, which will be held from 7:30-9:30 a.m. and noon-2 p.m. at each site, will introduce students and the public to innovative solutions to manufacturing challenges and opportunities.

Tours of various manufacturing sites, as well as JCC’s MTI facilities, will be provided to high school students in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties throughout the day on Oct. 18.

Manufacturing related activities will extend into November. Manufacturers in the region are invited to discuss their needs while exploring JCC’s programs and services during a workshop offered on Nov. 20 at the Jamestown MTI and on Nov. 21 at the Olean MTI. Both sessions begin at 8 a.m.

Plans are also under way to hold a technology and manufacturing expo featuring suppliers and vendors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the Jamestown MTI. The event is sponsored by JCC, MAST and Allen Industrial Sales.

For additional information on Manufacturing Month events at JCC, call 338-1005.