Along with 1,600 manufacturers across North America, Fremont celebrated the third annual National Manufacturing Day last Friday. Companies hosted open houses and tours showcasing their technologies and facilities to the public. This peek inside the factory floor is helping to shift public perception of manufacturing from dirty, declining and dull — to clean, complex and cool.

The City of Fremont coordinated with educational leaders such as Mission Valley ROP, DeVry University, Ohlone College, and Northwestern Polytechnic University as well as the Tri-Valley One-Stop Center to provide over 65 students, teachers, and job seekers with guided tours at AlterG, Alom, Asteelflash, Bay Area Circuits, CalWeld, Lanner, Plexus, and Sonic Manufacturing. From printed circuit boards and supply chain management, to specialized anti-gravity treadmills, Fremont’s manufacturers are helping to spread the word that things do get made in Silicon Valley (as noted in our nifty new infographic). Students were exposed to career opportunities in manufacturing, and companies had the chance to meet the next-generation workforce.

With the help of local schools, lead manufacturing sponsor Asteelflash, and the full list of participating manufacturers, the events of the day were well-attended and successful. Want to learn more about local efforts to grow jobs? Check out these stories on CNET and Bloomberg.

While this was only our second year promoting Manufacturing Day, we envision even greater opportunities in the years ahead. It’s not too early to sign up for #MFGDAY15. Just drop me a line!