National Manufacturing Day: Celebrating What’s Made in Cabarrus—and Who Makes It Possible

PART ONE OF TWO

Celebrated annually on the first Friday in October, National Manufacturing Day highlights the people, businesses, and innovations that keep American manufacturing moving forward. This year, the observance fell on October 2, giving us a chance to recognize the industry’s contributions and introduce the next generation to its career possibilities.

Here in Cabarrus County, manufacturing is more than an economic engine. It is a source of local pride, opportunity, and career pathways for residents who live, learn, and work in our community.

Made in Cabarrus: Local Products, Local Talent

To celebrate National Manufacturing Day throughout October, the Cabarrus EDC has transformed the physical product displays and company information featured at its Annual Summit into a digital Made in Cabarrus spotlight. This month-long feature gives the community another way to discover the products made right here in Cabarrus County and the companies and people behind them.

Through its Made in Cabarrus initiative, Cabarrus EDC showcases local products and the companies and people behind them. From Corning’s optical fiber to Ketchie’s precision-machined components, Safewaze’s fall-protection equipment, and Complete Design & Packaging’s custom packaging solutions, Cabarrus County businesses create products that serve customers across the country and beyond. Other local manufacturers, including Eli Lilly, Legrand, Celgard, Vulcan Materials Company, Perdue Farms, and Hendrick Technical Solutions, demonstrate the breadth of the county’s manufacturing sector.

Behind these products are people whose skills make innovation possible. Manufacturing offers career paths in machining, production, engineering, quality control, maintenance, automation, and logistics. Many local employees live in Cabarrus County and have built their skills through education and training in the same community where they now work.

Made in Cabarrus is about more than what we make. It is about the talent we develop and the opportunities we create right here at home. By bringing these products and stories into the digital space, Cabarrus EDC is helping residents better understand the breadth of local manufacturing and recognize the people whose work strengthens our economy.

Connecting Students with Manufacturing Careers

A strong manufacturing sector depends on a skilled workforce, and that pipeline begins well before a student enters the job market. Young people need opportunities to discover what modern manufacturing looks like, meet industry professionals, and understand how classroom learning connects to real-world careers.

That is why Cabarrus EDC is coordinating Career Talks, bringing manufacturers directly to K–12 students in Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools. These visits give students opportunities to hear from local industry professionals, ask questions, and explore the many career paths available in their own community.

National Manufacturing Day celebrates what manufacturers make and, just as importantly, the people who make it possible. In Cabarrus County, connecting students with local industry is an important step toward developing tomorrow’s workforce.

In Part 2, we’ll take a closer look at Career Talks and how manufacturers are engaging students across Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools to introduce the next generation to careers made possible right here at home.