IMTS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING MANUFACTURERS OF THE FUTURE
With the back-to-school buzz of the past few weeks, I am reminded that IMTS has been fostering positive perceptions about careers in manufacturing to students for many years. From the early years as more of a science fair than trade show, to the renewed emphasis on education that began with the first Smartforce Student Summit in 1998, IMTS champions our industry to the next generations.
IMTS continues to look for new ways to encourage students to become the manufacturers of the future. Here are three new ways IMTS positively impacts students’ interest, academic growth, and skills in manufacturing technology.
PROJECT MFG COMPETITION AT THE STUDENT SUMMIT
The Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS 2020 will host an exciting new national competition for five-axis machining skills: Project MFG Next Generation Challenge (www.projectmfg.com) for post-secondary students. Qualifying invitational rounds of Project MFG will take place at select schools throughout the country in the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020.
Initiated by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Industrial Base Analysis & Sustainment (OSD IBAS), Project MFG is designed to show off the advanced skills, creativity, and teamwork needed in a manufacturing technology education and career. The event tests students’ technical skills and business acumen as teams complete timed tasks ranging from developing a business plan to assuring quality control.
A 50/50 public-private partnership among OSD IBAS, AMT, AMT members, and other industry stakeholders, Project MFG will promote a great deal of activity and spirit as people cheer for their favorite team(s). We thank the many AMT members and IMTS exhibitors that are contributing equipment and staff resources to Project MFG. Be sure your company is there to scout for new talent!
IMTS-SPONSORED APPRENTICESHIP
This month, the first IMTS-sponsored apprentice, 16-year-old Sean Delaney, begins his three-year program with the IMTS Emerging Technology Partner, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), in South Yorkshire, England. AMRC carries out research for advanced manufacturing techniques for industrial companies. AMRC has more than 100 industrial partners ranging from global giants like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Airbus to small, specialized companies.
AMT Director – Industry Partnerships, Bonnie Gurney, met Sean last winter. He expressed his gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to learn and work in an industry important to his native town, Sheffield. Sean is pursuing machining skills and studying at the AMRC Advanced Structural Testing Centre; further developing MTConnect®, the open connectivity standard for manufacturers; and will work at the Student Summit at IMTS 2020.
IMTS SCHOLARSHIPS FUND
Through a generous planned donation from several major hotel chains in Chicago, IMTS is establishing a scholarship grant program for IMTS 2020. IMTS recently extended its contract with the city of Chicago through 2026, and in recognition of our extended partnership, several major hotel brands agreed to assist AMT and IMTS in establishing the IMTS Scholarship Fund for IMTS 2020. More details to follow, including eligibility rules, deadlines, and distribution.
As we consider the manufacturers of the future, we understand that the next generation, Generation Z (those born mid-1995 to 2010), wants more than a paycheck and benefits. They want a dynamic career that offers innovation, purpose, and meaning, as well as work that contributes to their community. At IMTS, we aim to convey these selling points about advanced manufacturing.
