FMA wins 2010 public relations award for job campaign

A public relations program created and conducted by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA), Rockford, Ill., and its public relations firm, L.C. Williams & Associates, Chicago, has captured a prestigious 2010 Golden Trumpet Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC).

The communications initiative addressed an issue totally counterintuitive to today’s economy: U.S. manufacturers today face a dire shortage of skilled workers. The platform, a key element in the mission of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, The Foundation of the FMA, gained significant credence through editorial coverage gained in the multifaceted media relations program.

"Many FMA members and other manufacturing executives have cited a growing challenge to find skilled labor, particularly from young people entering the work force, to handle the multitude of sophisticated, high-tech tasks found today on the factory floor," said Patricia Lee, FMA director of public relations. "Research we conducted further reinforced this perspective.

"It's an issue our industry must address and ideally complements the goals of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, which provides grants for summer manufacturing camps and scholarships for those planning manufacturing careers, among other initiatives."

The FMA campaign won in the competition's issues management category, which honors programs that educate and inform target audiences about key issues or present a position on topics of public concern. The Golden Trumpet Award annually honors distinguished achievements in public relations and communications that feature excellence in planning, creativity, and execution.

FMA is a professional organization with more than 2,100 members working together to improve the metal forming and fabricating industry. Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs introduces young people to careers in the trades through manufacturing summer camps. It also awards scholarships to students at colleges and trade schools pursuing studies that lead to careers in manufacturing.