#paydirt2015 BEST Part of National Manufacturing Day

Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics will be part of the celebration of National Manufacturing (MFG) Day this year. MFG DAY addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

Supported by a group of industry sponsors and co-producers, MFG DAY is designed to amplify the voice of individual manufacturers and coordinate a collective chorus of manufacturers with common concerns and challenges. The rallying point for a growing mass movement, MFG DAY empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.

Sponsors include:

• Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International 
• National Association of Manufacturers
• Manufacturing Extension Partnership

 Look for other MFG Day events at the MFG Day site. 

 The link to the BEST site is here.

Summer STEM Camp Registration Posted

Registration for the Summer STEM Experience has been posted to the NACC website. Two camps will be offered:

• Robotics Camp - grades 6-8
• Manufacturing Camp - grades 9-12

Both camps will be offered during the week of June 8-12. The cost is $59 each. The deadline to register is May 15. 

NACC Receives Grant from Foundation

Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) has received a grant from the Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs (NBT) Foundation to support summer manufacturing camps. The camps, part of NACC's 2014 Summer STEM Experience will take place the week of June 9-13.

The college plans to sponsor a number of camps this summer for the purpose of career awareness and exploration. Watch this site for an announcement regarding registration.

Happy Manufacturing Day!

Today is manufacturing day across the United States. 

Sponsored by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) , and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Manufacturing Day provides an opportunity for manufacturers to open their doors and show what 21st Century manufacturing looks like. 

Locally, GH Metal Solutions in Fort Payne is opening their doors for tours. Northeast Alabama Community College will have their mobile training unit on site to allow visitors to try their hand at welding using their virtual reality welder. 

NACC's Summer STEM Experience

Northeast Alabama Community College is pleased to announce its first Summer STEM Experience.

The college will sponsor three STEM activities on campus this summer:

For Grades 7-8 - Robotics Day Camp
Students in grades 7-8 can attend a week-long robotics day camp the week of June 3-7 (9 am - 4 pm). During this camp, students will learn to build, program, and operate simple robots. Participants will show off what they have learned during the week at a completion celebration held the evening of June 7. A field trip to a local industry will allow students to see industrial robots in action. The cost of the camp is $59, which includes lunches each day.

For Grades 9-10 - Manufacturing Day Camp

Rising freshmen and sophomores can attend a manufacturing day camp the week of June 3-7 (9 am - 4 pm) in which the student will be introduced to the world of manufacturing through hands-on projects, and site visits to manufacturing facilities. In addition, students will be introduced to basic entrepreneurial concepts and skills. Students will walk through the manufacturing process and will go home at the end of the week with a great project that they design and produce. The cost is $59, which includes lunches each day. This camp is co-sponsored by GH Metal Solutions, Fabricators and Manufacturers' Association (FMA) and the Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs Foundation.

For Grades 10 - 12 - Dual Enrollment Robotics
For the second year, NACC will offer a dual enrollment class to prepare eligible students for the BEST Robotics competition in the fall. Students will study engineering, design, and manufacture of specific robotic components while meeting Monday nights during the summer. Students may obtain both college and elective high school credit for successful completion of this course. The cost of the course is $414; scholarship may be available to those who qualify.

For more information, visit this link where you may download a registration form.

NACC To Host NBT Camp

Officials at Northeast Alabama Community  College were recently notified that they will receive a grant to support a manufacturing camp for students this summer. This grant, provided by the Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs Foundation through a competitive grant competition, will take place in June. Details on this camp and other STEM-related activities for this summer will be announced soon.