Media

May 5, 2023 — Columbus, Ohio

The National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute, which is the workforce development and education partner of the NAM, and Honda are bringing the industry-leading Creators Wanted campaign to central Ohio in collaboration with the Ohio Manufacturers' Association and FactoryFix, the official recruiting partner of the campaign.

Creators Wanted showcases the exciting career opportunities available, and technologies used, in modern manufacturing. The Creators Wanted Tour will be open to the public at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) Science Festival's "Big Science Celebration" in Columbus on May 6, where festival attendees will have the opportunity to visit the tour's escape room-style experience. As the presenting sponsor of the COSI Science Festival, the Midwest's largest STEM event, Honda will host the Creators Wanted exhibit at its display.

Earlier this week, Honda, which has contributed $2.25 million to Creators Wanted to advance the campaign's progress, hosted more than 300 Ohio students on a tour of the Honda Heritage Center in Marysville. The students were able to experience the exhibit of Honda's history of innovation and tour the Honda Technical Development Center, where Honda associates have the opportunity to advance their skills for high-tech manufacturing.

The manufacturing industry in the United States has approximately 700,000 open jobs. By 2025, Creators Wanted strives to recruit more than 600,000 new workers, increase the number of students enrolling in technical and vocational schools or reskilling programs by 25%, and increase the positive perception of the industry by parents from 27% to 50%.

"As the largest manufacturer in Central Ohio, Honda is proud to showcase the exciting world of modern manufacturing to Ohio students by bringing the Creators Wanted mobile exhibit back to our local communities," said Bob Nelson, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We've always said our most important investment is in people. With that in mind, we're working to inspire the next-generation workforce to consider careers in manufacturing through fun, interactive opportunities like Creators Wanted, and we're thankful our partnerships with the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute, and COSI have made this week's activities possible."

Since its launch in 2021, the Creators Wanted Tour has visited 14 cities, reaching more than 7,000 students in-person, along with more than 2,100 parents, teachers, mentors and local leaders. The campaign has also built an email roster of more than 1.1 million students and career mentors interested in manufacturing careers.

"Honda's incredible support and leadership has empowered our innovative campaign to thrive—to inspire students, to positively affect parents and teachers and, now with Creators Connect, to change even more lives," said NAM President and CEO and MI Chairman of the Board Jay Timmons. "Honda was a founding supporter of this campaign, and we're delivering tremendous results that we couldn't have achieved without them. Together, we're building excitement about modern manufacturing careers and providing the resources for people to reach their full potential."

Creators Connect, the job portal of Creators Wanted, has several resources that allow employers to reach potential workers across the entire country. The portal lists 330,000 job listings on an average day, contains 158,000 training programs and sees 6,000 searches a month.

"Careers in manufacturing provide endless opportunities for growth on both a personal and professional scale," said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. "We are grateful for Honda's generous support, which is helping to shine a light on today's workforce crisis and our country's need for more creators."

"The demand for manufacturing talent remains strong in Ohio, making it imperative we continue to attract young, passionate creators to the industry," said OMA Managing Director of Workforce Services Sara Tracey. "We're excited to bring students and the workforce community together through Creators Wanted to open minds about the high-paying and rewarding opportunities manufacturers provide across the state."

Ohio Manufacturing Facts:

• There were 91,154 total manufacturing job postings in Ohio from January 2023 to March 2023, of which 32,935 were unique. In addition, there were 412,592 total job postings from January 2022 to December 2022, of which 139,275 were unique.
• There were 14,512 total job postings in the Columbus, Ohio, metropolitan area from January 2023 to March 2023, of which 5,088 were unique. In addition, there were 68,132 total job postings from January 2022 to December 2022, of which 23,195 were unique.
• There were 794 total job postings in Marysville, Ohio, from January 2023 to March 2023, of which 259 were unique. In addition, there were 2,007 total job postings from January 2022 to December 2022, of which 683 were unique.

Honda Manufacturing in Ohio Facts:

• Honda established U.S. manufacturing operations in Marysville in 1979 with the start of motorcycle production[1].
• Honda has produced automobiles in Ohio for over 40 years, beginning in November 1982 with production of the Honda Accord at the Marysville Auto Plant.
• Today, Honda operates five plants in Ohio and employs 15,600 associates in the state.
• Honda has invested $2.7 billion in its Ohio manufacturing facilities over the past six years, continually modernizing equipment and adopting new technologies to advance quality and efficiency.
• Honda is establishing an EV Hub in Ohio that will lead the company's journey to an electrified future in North America.

The NAM will continue its Creators Wanted tour with stops across the country. For more information on the campaign, visit CreatorsWanted.org.

[1]: Honda products are made using domestic and globally sourced parts.

NAM

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.90 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 55% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

The MI

The Manufacturing Institute grows and supports the manufacturing industry's skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing. The MI's diverse initiatives support all workers in America, including women, veterans and students, through skills training programs, community building and the advancement of their career in manufacturing. As the 501(c)3 nonprofit workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, the MI is a trusted adviser to manufacturers, equipping them with resources necessary to solve the industry's toughest challenges. For more information on the MI, please visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.

Honda Manufacturing in America

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years, beginning in November 1982 with the start of automobile production at the Marysville Auto Plant.

In 2022, more than two-thirds of all Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda's cumulative auto production in America now exceeds 30 million vehicles.

Honda established manufacturing operations in America in 1979 with the start of motorcycle production in Marysville, Ohio, and today has one of the largest and most diverse U.S. manufacturing footprints of any international company. The company's 12 plants employ more than 22,000 associates in America, supporting operations that have an annual capacity of more than 1.27 million automobiles, 1.52 million engines, 500,000 power equipment products and 300,000 powersports products, as well as the HondaJet advanced light jet and GE Honda HF120 turbofan engines.

Cumulatively, Honda has invested $19 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations, including more than $3.2 billion over the past five years alone. The company also works with over 600 U.S. original equipment suppliers, with U.S.-sourced parts purchases of approximately $470 billion since 1979.

Learn more at https://hondainamerica.com/.

More information about Honda is available in the Digital FactBook.

The Ohio Manufacturers' Association

The Ohio Manufacturers' Association is Ohio's largest statewide business association comprised solely of manufacturers. Established in 1910, the OMA's mission is to protect and grow Ohio manufacturing. Learn more at OHIOMFG.com and MakingOhio.com.

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