The Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT) summer manufacturing camp season ended in September with 125 camps that took place across the U.S. Thousands of middle and high school-aged students attended summer camps at their local community colleges, technical schools, or high schools. For some students, it was their first hands-on experience of making something tangible. The camp photos reveal the students’ pride in building a product with their own hands and the joy of discovering their future career in manufacturing. To see how camp experiences are changing lives, check out the photos on NBT’s Facebook page.

Reasons why schools should consider hosting a summer manufacturing camp:

• Camps are a great way to expose the next generation to the world of manufacturing
• Students want to learn something new and take pride in working with their hands
• It gives you the opportunity to make a positive first impression on curious students
• Positive camp experiences can lead to increased enrollment
• NBT provides grant funding to help you get started
• Manufacturing/entrepreneurship curriculum is provided in student and instructor versions
• Customized T-shirts are given to every student who attends a camp
• Students receive a one-year license to SolidWorks CAD software
• Marketing materials and resources are available

Camp Directors Share Their Inspirational Experiences

 “We know that educating the community and exposing students early on to career pathways must be done if we are to close the gap between skilled workers available and the demand for employees to fill open positions. Local industry is partnering with K-12 schools like never before. Manufacturing employers recognize that their active involvement at all levels is required to ensure their future workforce will be in place in the coming years. There’s no doubt this camp will be an annual event for us, and I expect it to grow significantly. I highly recommend any school or educational system look into a career exploration camp such as this and focus on students prior to their final years in high school.”

 — Jeff Hyche, Hartselle High School, Hartselle, Ala.

“During our camp, we discovered that these young campers are eager to dive right in and learn things hands-on. Watching the students go from being afraid to touch a piece of equipment to, in just a short amount of time, become comfortable with it was amazing. Allowing these campers to use the college’s industry-standard equipment and work in our clean, bright, and computer-driven shop will debunk the historic view of manufacturing being dark and dirty. These campers, after visiting state-of-the-art manufacturing companies, will be able to foresee a future career in the manufacturing technology field. My advice to others thinking about hosting a camp would be, just do it! However, do not do it all by yourself. I believe we had the perfect mix of administrative help, technical support, and seasoned instructors.”

— Jenna Greenfield, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Start Planning Your 2020 NBT Summer Manufacturing Camp

Make a plan to host a summer camp at your school or share this information with the manufacturing faculty at your local community college or technical high school.

1. Check the NBT website for details on camp grant awards and requirements
2. Review the application preview and reference the camp director resources for ideas and tips
3. Propose a plan for your camp and outline the details
4. Apply for a 2020 summer manufacturing camp grant by December 1, 2019
5. Once your application is accepted by NBT, start recruiting manufacturing partners, instructors, and volunteers
6. Work with your school to promote the camp in your community
7. Take pride in building a skilled workforce in your area

Learn more and apply today to get started!