3D Systems Entices Budding Engineers with Products Unveiled at IMTS

“… Leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today—especially in science, technology, engineering and math.”

— President Barack Obama

3D Systems, a leading provider in 3D printers, print materials, and cloud sourced on-demand custom parts, has just shared news with us that they will be unveiling their latest 3D educational printing kits and curricula from its MAKE.DIGITAL platform at the Smartforce Student Summit being held at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2014, from September 8-13 in Chicago.

“Digital literacy through hands on, project-based learning using 3D printing technology is a key to instilling tomorrow’s skills today,” said Leanne Gluck, Director of Social Impact for 3DS. “Our long-term MAKE.DIGITAL initiative is delivering a full ecosystem of integrated tools, software and curriculum that empower students and EDUCATION providers at every level.”

In keeping with their goals to put 3D printing technology right into student’s hands, they will be doing so at the show, where they will include interactive design, scan and 3D printing demos for students to participate in at their booth. Students will be also able to experience a demo of the recently launched M.Lab21, a 21^st  century manufacturing lab that uses 3D design and printing technology to revolutionize high school industrial arts, career, and technical education.

The mission statement for 3DS with their MAKE.DIGITAL education initiative is to promote advancing digital literacy in K-12 STEM education, in keeping with President Obama’s 2015 fiscal budget plan. That plan includes several massive investments designed to improve teaching and learning in STEM subjects for teachers and students in our nation’s schools. Hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing into educational venues to extend the STEM objective.

STEM JOBS (source ed.gov/STEM)

The United States has become a global leader, in large part, through the genius and hard work of its scientists, engineers and innovators. Yet today, that position is threatened as comparatively few American students pursue expertise in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and by an inadequate pipeline of teachers skilled in those subjects. With a deficiency in the number of students currently inspired to go into these fields, shows like the Smartforce Student Summit are designed to garner enthusiasm and show younger students how well they can do in the future. They do this by having them meet with young engineers, scientists, manufacturing specialists, and those currently employed and doing well in their fields, reaping financial rewards, along with job security.

The Smartforce Student Summit is one massive, colorful, educational field trip for students, along with being a bit of a career fair. Extremely valuable also is that students at the show will have the chance to meet with MTAmbassadors, young manufacturing professionals in their 20’s who are already enjoying careers and success in manufacturing.

There are currently 12 million people working in this industry already, with much room for growth. US manufacturing needs more young people to head into engineering, science and math. These are fields offering good pay and job stability to both young men and women within the innovations of manufacturing.

Are you in a manufacturing or engineering job that requires 3D printing and design skills? Are you looking for a career in the STEM areas? Please share your thoughts with us in the MAKE.DIGITAL forum thread on 3DPB.com. Below is a video provided by MTAmbassadors explaining the increased demand for those with a manufacturing education and backgrounds.