Industry 4.0 ushered in new technologies, new products and new ways of working. It's imperative that high schools keep pace with the skills they teach students to prepare them for the manufacturing workforce. SME PRIME schools give manufacturing students a head start, as they inspire them to use and test the skills they learn in the classroom during regular class projects as well as occasional special assignments.
Whitehall High School students explore manufacturing while learning about the engineering process as they train on Dremel 3D40 3D printers and tour local manufacturing companies during class field trips.
Grand Haven High School’s manufacturing education program includes multiple career pathways, each made possible through input, engagement and investment from local manufacturing partner, Shape Corp.
The WESTEC 2019 Student Summit will host over 200 high school students and introduce them to the high tech and exciting career available in the modern manufacturing industry through hands-on challenges and competitions, guided event show-floor tours and technology demonstrations, and inspirational industry guest speakers.
The pre-engineering students at Grand Haven High School get a wealth of experience from the SME PRIME program through technical training and tailored curriculum informed by local manufacturing partner Shape Corp.
Plymouth, Michigan based Master Automatic helped create the SME PRIME school program at Plymouth-Canton Community Schools. The partnership expands their talent pipeline – and will create opportunities for area young people to explore and grow in manufacturing.
SME PRIME prepares Central Columbia High School students with tailored curriculum and hands-on training informed by private industry for high-tech careers in advanced manufacturing.
Students from Kouts High School explored career opportunities within the skilled trades at FABTECH. The students left the conference and event with a deeper understanding of manufacturing and how it all comes together at the end.
Manufacturers, communities, educators, students and parents can all benefit from participating in Manufacturing Day: Last year, more than 80% of students said they became more convinced that manufacturing provides interesting and rewarding careers after attending these events.
Kouts High School from a small, close-knit community near Valparaiso, Indiana, came out ahead and won the manufacturing competition at the 2019 FABTECH Student Summit. The SME Education Foundation Student Summit event series is one solution that through student-centric programming, effectively addresses the misperception often held by young people that manufacturing is dull, dirty and dying.