Rocket into Manufacturing
Gateway Technical College (GTC) held its “Rocket into Manufacturing” summer day camp last week. The course was open to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders and was taught by GTC CNC Instructor, Rich Shouse. This class was a good way for middle school students to learn more about the manufacturing industry and obtain real hands-on experience.
Since this year’s biggest fad has been the fidget spinner (and because Rich and the kids think they are so cool), the main project the students worked on was making their own fidget spinners. Rich incorporated milling and turning with his HAAS CNC machines to create some awesome-looking spinners. Then, he had the students drill and tap threads to connect the “spinner” portion together, as well as use the CNC mill to engrave their names or designs into their spinners.
The kids learned so much from this experience, and of course, they had a lot of fun doing it. The grandson of China Instrument Parts Director of Sales & Engineering Bill Wells had the opportunity to attend the camp. Bill said that seeing the excitement in Mason’s eyes when he picked him up at the end of the day was wonderful. Mason explained to the whole family about the types of materials he handled, the machines they used, and the processes they learned. Bill said, “It was very rewarding to see how this piqued his interest in how things are actually made.” So, while fidget spinners are neat, being able to make your own is even better.
We continue to be impressed with GTC’s commitment to educating the next generation. From productive and fun workshops like “Rocket into Manufacturing” to the High School CNC Bootcamp, GTC is always looking for new ways to engage our youth in the areas of manufacturing. We look forward to seeing what they have planned for next summer!
