Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the event has been postponed from Oct. 7 to Nov. 4 because Hurricane Matthew is expected to hit the Wilmington area beginning Friday. 

Wilmington Grill will be opening its doors and firing up its lava rocks, propane tanks and charcoal soon to support Manufacturing Day.
 
The special day, held each year on the first Friday in October, brings together hundreds of manufacturers across North America to host students, teachers, parents, job seekers and other local community members at open houses designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers.
 
JCC Outdoor Products-Wilmington Grill, in conjunction with Cape Fear Community College, will host the Wilmington event at its manufacturing facility, 3314 Enterprise Drive, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 4.
 
More than 50 other events will take place across the state.
 
“Recent studies have shown that positive exposure to manufacturing makes students twice as likely to pursue a career in the field,” Gary Salamido, vice president of government affairs for the N.C. Chamber, said in a news release. “MFG DAY offers a unique chance for manufacturers to engage with students, teachers, parents and others in their local communities and put the development of the next generation of local manufacturers into their own hands.”
 
Several hundred local high school students are expected to attend this Friday to learn more about careers in manufacturing.
 
“Also as part of this year's event, at noon, JCC Outdoor Products-Wilmington Grill will be donating $5,000 in scholarships to students at Cape Fear Community College,” said Jon Barber, vice president of Wilmington Grill.

"This will be our third time taking part in National Manufacturing Day. We are firm believers in the event as it is a great way to showcase to students a variety of opportunities that await them if they work towards a career in manufacturing," Barber added. "We are also very excited for this year's event as this will be the first year that we have donated scholarships to students at Cape Fear Community College."
 
Manufacturing is a substantial part of North Carolina’s economy, employing about 11 percent of the state’s workforce in 2015 and generating 21 percent of total state GDP in 2016, according to the N.C. Chamber.
 
Last year, more than 2,600 events were held across the country attended by more than 225,000 students and 55,000 parents, educators, and job seekers on Manufacturers Day.
 
“It is a chance for students to see the diverse career options that are innovative, impactful and durable,” explained Jennifer McNelly, executive director of The Manufacturing Institute, an arm of the National Association of Manufacturers, in a news release.
 
This is the fifth annual Manufacturers Day.
 
“It was created in response to a dire need in America,” McNelly said. “The industry today faces a major shortage of skilled workers. An estimated two million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled over the next decade due to companies’ inability to find talent with the required skills.”

A complete national listing of events can be found at mfgday.com.