PrintLab and CREATE Education Team Up to Support 3D Printing in UK Schools

Global 3D printing distributor and curriculum provider PrintLab, based in the UK, is on a mission to support the adoption of 3D printing in schools with the help of its educational 3D printing ecosystem and resources for teachers.

To further this goal, today PrintLab announces that it is teaming up with UK 3D printing company CREATE Education, a collaborative platform that provides educators with free resources and support, like lesson and professional development resources and project ideas, to help introduce and keep 3D printing technology in the classroom.

“We’ve recently made a new partnership with CREATE Education and together our mission is to help UK teachers integrate 3D printing into the curriculum,” PrintLab Co-Founder Jason Yeung told 3DPrint.com.

“As we continue to see 3D printing making huge waves across most industry sectors, it’s becoming increasingly important for students to be learning how to 3D model and 3D print. Our partnership with CREATE aims to close the widening skills gap by focusing our efforts on supporting teachers with much more than hardware. Together we’re offering the whole ecosystem, from 3D printers and curriculum to professional development training, resources and lifetime local support.”

Both companies have a vision of providing the necessary tools to teachers so they can successfully integrate 3D printing into the classroom.

The CREATE Education Project does this by combining innovative technology with inspirational content and creativity, while PrintLab provides industry-leading products, coupled with its own creative curriculum, resources, and lifetime support.

Now, by working together, the two companies will support schools all across the UK with 3D printing.

“Over the last 2 years The CREATE Education Project has grown to be a respected platform, providing valuable free support to the education community looking to adopt and embrace 3D printing, recognised as Winners of the Tech for Teachers STEM Award and as a BETT 2018 Finalist,” said Michelle Chatterley of CREATE Education. “Increasingly our community are looking to purchase directly from us as we provide trusted products and our partnership with PrintLab enhances the range of high quality products and curriculum resources we can offer to our community.”

The educational 3D printing offerings from each company will be combined in this new partnership, so UK schools can enjoy unlimited access to full 3D printing solutions for the classroom, which will be locally supported for life by CREATE.

“The mission isn’t just about putting 3D printers in schools – it’s about integrating them into the curriculum and maximising their potential as a tool for learning. This is why we are delighted to be partnering with CREATE, because they continue to develop fantastic resources tied to the UK National Curriculum such as their Primary Curriculum Guide and 3D Printer Funding Guide,” said Yeung. “By combining these on-going resources with our affordable 3D printing ecosystem, teachers can have access to all the tools required to prepare students for creative careers in design and additive manufacturing.”

One of the most important parts of this educational collaboration is CREATE becoming the UK distributor for PrintLab’s educational 3D printing products and curriculum. These will then be integrated with CREATE’s own professional development resources, workshops and training, and local support.

Multiple initiatives will come out of this partnership to support teachers, such as 3D printer loan schemes, expert phone support, and funding advice and resources. Teachers in UK schools will also enjoy access to special training and curriculum workshops, as well as weekly 3D printing news and classroom content.

However, the most important result of the collaboration between PrintLab and CREATE is the educational 3D printing bundles the two will offer. The bundles, which will be available starting at £625, will include curriculum, materials, hardware and software, professional development and training resources, and lifetime support.

Visit PrintLab’s curriculum portal to get access to a free lesson plan, along with a 60-page 3D printing guide for teachers. You can take a look at the new range of PrintLab solutions available CREATE Education by visiting its website.

Educational initiatives are picking up around the world, and particularly in the UK, as 3D printing becomes a more integrated part of the STEAM curriculum.

Introducing The PrintLab Classroom from PrintLab on Vimeo.

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[Images provided by PrintLab]