In 2015, the President’s Challenge raised over $27,000 for NBT. This year, Ed Youdell, President and CEO of FMA & NBT, is once again challenging companies and individuals to match his personal donation of $1,500. He hopes to meet the $50,000 goal. Ed demonstrates his true concern about the skilled labor shortage in North America as he is donating his own money towards a scholarship or summer camp grant recipient and invites you to join him in this endeavor.

“Please consider matching my $1,500 gift this year so that together, we can ensure the successful future of our manufacturing workforce.” – Ed Youdell, President and CEO

Donations raised by the President’s Challenge campaign support the summer manufacturing camp and scholarship programs of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT). Help grow the NBT programs and encourage more students to learn about modern manufacturing.

To date, NBT has:

· Awarded over $783,000 in scholarships to 350 manufacturing students
· Awarded over $600,000 in grants to support 160 summer manufacturing camps, serving 3,500 young participants

Studies predict that within the next decade, up to 700,000 new jobs will be created as technology advances and our economy grows. Yet up to 2 million manufacturing jobs will be left unfilled due to retirements and a lack of qualified workers coming into the industry.

The work of NBT is not complete as the skilled labor shortage will not end soon and will only get worse. NBT will continue to promote and encourage students of all ages to recognize and appreciate manufacturing as an interesting and fulfilling career choice.