ROCKFORD, Ill., Nov.15, 2013 – Twenty students seeking careers in manufacturing each earned $1,500 or $2,500 toward their post-secondary studies from  Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA).

This year Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) and OPC awarded manufacturing scholarships to the following students:

For the Fall 2013 semester

• Kathryn Curtis, Metamora, Ill., Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering at Bradley University
• Aaron Joos, Eau Claire, Wis., Machine Tooling Technics at Chippewa Valley Technical College
• Benjamin Kettler, Anna, Ohio, Welding Technology at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
• Andrew Klos, Jr., Allenton, MI, Welding & Cutting Technology and CNC Operation at St. Clair County Community College
• Darrien Kristiansen, Port Tobacco, MD, Mechanical Engineering at College of Southern Maryland
• Tyler McClish, Kokomo, IN, Precision Manufacturing Technology at Vincennes University
• Nathan Peatrowsky, West Point, NE, Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
• Jordan Prasifka, Dallas, TX, — Mechanical Engineering at University of Texas at Arlington
• Brandon Sberna, Germantown, WI, Tool and Die Making at Waukesha Area Technical College
• Caitlin Simpson, Chicago, IL, Engineering Technology at Triton College
• Kristopher White, Statesville, NC, Pre-Engineering at Mitchell Community College

For the Spring 2014 semester

• Eurydice Kanimba, Wichita Falls, TX, Mechanical Engineering at Midwestern State University
• Karolina Stus, Elmwood, IL, Manufacturing Engineering at Triton College
• Mitchell Johnson, Flower Mound, TX, Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
• Andrew Klimek, Cherry Hill, NJ, Engineering Manufacturing Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
• Brandon Platt, Blairsville, PA, Welding & Fabrication Engineering Technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology
• Luis Bustamante, Nogales, AZ, Mechanical Engineering at Pima Community College
• Ross Snyder, Platte City, MO, Mechanical Engineering at University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Computing and Engineering (UMKC-SCE)
• Brandon Wells, Euharlee, Georgia, Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology
• Ryan Baarstad, Brownstown, Mich., Industrial Technology, Eastern Michigan University

“We are pleased to award scholarships to these deserving young people and  are happy to assist them in reaching their academic goals,” said Edward Youdell, president of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs. “These students recognize that skilled manufacturing careers can be rewarding financially and fulfilling personally and will help them be more competitive in the current job market.

“The most difficult U.S. jobs to fill today are those in the skilled trades and engineering,” added Youdell. “With majors in machine tool and CNC technology, structural and pipe welding, sheet metal fabrication, engineering, and precision manufacturing technology, these students will be prepared for the skilled labor openings that American manufacturers must fill.”

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants were required to be full-time students meeting a specified minimum GPA, and enrolled in an engineering or manufacturing-related course of study, or a trade or technical program leading to a career in manufacturing. Students were responsible for submitting academic records and an engineering or manufacturing-related program description with each application.

In addition to the scholarship, each winner also received from NBT’s industry partner SolidWorks Corporation a copy of its Student Design Kit CAD software package. The Student Design Kit is an easy-to-learn, Windows-based 3D CAD application that gives students the ability to create “real-life” 3D designs they can easily manipulate.
Since 1990, FMA’s Foundation has awarded scholarships annually to students in courses of study that will lead to careers in manufacturing. For more information visit http://www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/Scholarships.

About SolidWorks Corporation
SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or a live online demonstration, visit the company’s Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000.

About FMA
Based in Rockford, Ill., FMA is a professional organization with nearly 2,500 members working together to improve the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and fabricating equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, and the FABTECH® tradeshow. FMA also has two technology affiliates, the Tube & Pipe Association, Intl. (TPA), which focuses on the unique needs of companies engaged in tube and pipe producing and fabricating; and Green Manufacturer Network, a professional organization of individual members dedicated to working toward environmentally-friendly manufacturing.
# # #