The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce is leading a local effort and teaming up with seven different manufacturing plants to celebrate National Manufacturing Day.

Local manufacturers Barrett Firearms, Bridgestone, General Mills, MAHLE, Nissan, Southeastern Technologies, and Quality Engineering will offer tours to more than 300 high school engineering or industrial maintenance students. For industrial maintenance and engineering students, Manufacturing Day will allow them to know what opportunities can be gained from skills learned in the classroom.

"We appreciate our local employers providing the opportunity for middle and high school students to get a closer look at what is made and how it is made right here in Rutherford County," said Beth Duffield, vice president of workforce development for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. "I firmly believe that students need to 'see it before they can be it,' and hope this experience will help students seriously consider a career in advanced manufacturing right here in Rutherford County.

Manufacturers report the shortage and need for skilled labor in an effort to connect with upcoming generations, so Manufacturing Day, celebrated Oct. 3, was created to address the misunderstandings about manufacturing by opening up manufacturers' doors to present what the experience of working in the industry is like. The day is designed to promote individual manufacturers and share mutual concerns and challenges faced by a collective of manufacturers. To learn more, visit www.mfgday.com.

The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, which includes the Convention & Visitors Bureau, Destination Rutherford, Economic Development, Workforce Development and the Business Education Partnership, seeks to promote economic development and a quality of life to benefit all residents of Rutherford County. Programs, events and services are offered to both its nearly 1,600 member organizations and non-members. The Chamber operates out of a main office on Medical Center Parkway in Murfreesboro, and has branch offices in Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville. Learn more at www.rutherfordchamber.org.