NBT Receives Grant Funding to Expand Inclusion Camps in 2023 and 2024

By Staff Report | April 5, 2023

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Nuts, Bolts, & Thingamajigs (NBT), the foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation to expand its Inclusion Manufacturing Camps program over the next two years.

The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation Grant Allows NBT to Expand Camps

With Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation’s support, NBT will fund four Inclusion Manufacturing Camps this year and as many as eight in 2024. The 2023 Inclusion Camp host partners include VPI, Inc. in Appleton, Wisconsin; Boone Center, Inc. in St. Charles, Missouri; TACT (Teaching the Autism Community Trades) in Englewood, Colorado; and The Haven in Sarasota, Florida. The foundation facilitated two camps last summer, one held in the Chicago area and the second in Appleton.

“Our vision is to empower youth with disabilities to lead productive lives,” says Kevin R. Webb, who serves as senior director of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and Sustainability and Social Impact with Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. “We see the NBT Inclusion Camps as a unique way to introduce youth with disabilities to job opportunities and help develop a pipeline of talent for the manufacturing industry. MEAF is proud to support this innovative program and see it expand around the country.”

“NBT Inclusion Camps provide entry points and real pathways to meaningful career options to those who have generally been overlooked,” said Ed Dernulc, Director, Foundation, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. “We are grateful to the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation for their continued support and confidence in NBT to develop programs that serve this population while strengthening our future workforce.”

Inclusion Camps Introduce Youth with Disabilities to Job Opportunities

NBT Inclusion Camps are designed to help train and prepare young adults with disabilities for employment in manufacturing, while also showing local employers that this group of individuals is a viable option to meet their workforce demands.

Building on the success of its traditional summer camps program, NBT developed Inclusion Manufacturing Camps to reach an underserved population that can be a solution to worker shortages for employers everywhere. Hosted by partner organizations, Inclusion Camps provide participants with soft skills training, job prep, and real-world experiences to help them gain immediate employment after the camp. As manufacturing employers look to be more creative with ways to fill their workforce needs and close skills gaps, training people with disabilities to do these jobs is a viable option. Individuals with disabilities are available, ready to enter the workforce, and capable of making an impact.

Summer Manufacturing Camps Hit Record Numbers in 2023

NBT’s Summer Manufacturing Camps are designed for students aged 12-16 to increase their awareness of manufacturing careers. Over the last 18 years, NBT manufacturing camps have been successful in encouraging thousands of young people to pursue the technical and vocational training needed for advanced manufacturing career paths. This summer, NBT will support a record 238 Summer Manufacturing Camps throughout the U.S. and Canada, reaching nearly 4,000 students.

About the Author

Staff Report

The Fabricators and Manufacturers Association is where thousands of manufacturing professionals unite — individuals, businesses, students — under a common purpose: grow the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industries. To do it, we've built a workforce lifecycle that supports individuals and businesses at every point in their development. Ensure they flourish. Get better at what we do, give back to our community. Expand our skills, our businesses, and our careers. Pave the way forward, with fresh ideas and technologies.

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