What better way to inspire tomorrow’s inventors, engineers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs - and address the future skilled labour shortage – than by launching a summer camp devoted to all things manufacturing?

That’s the thought process behind a US-based joint venture involving Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA), and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE).

This summer,18 NACCE member community colleges throughout the United States will offer NBT summer manufacturing camps targeting youth at the critical level of secondary education. The camps will expose the students to math, science, engineering and entrepreneurship principles, while offering them the opportunity to see the technology being used in the industry.

“Our new partnership sets in place a model curriculum to enable NACCE schools to conduct a series of summer manufacturing career exploration experiences for young people,” said Gerald Shankel, president & CEO of the FMA.

In addition to learning about manufacturing technologies, participants will also learn how products become businesses and how small businesses are run. They’ll use technology to create a product from start to finish providing them practical manufacturing experience in 3D design, computer numerical control (CNC) programming, welding, machining, and more, while learning product creation, problem solving, entrepreneurship and team building. Visits to area manufacturers provide an up-close look at products being made as well as career advice and inspiration from the entrepreneurs who run the companies.

While there are no camps scheduled for Canada this year, there are currently four member schools across the country that could be interested in joining the program in the future.