Local students tour manufacturing center in Prince George

Progress Index | John Adam | October 8, 2018

PRINCE GEORGE — Students from around the region got to experience the future of advanced manufacturing on Friday, as the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) put on their second “Manufacturing Day”.

Students from local high schools like Prince George and Dinwiddie, and local colleges like Virginia State, John Tyler, and Southside Community College came to the center to learn about potential careers in the field of advanced manufacturing.

“We want to encourage young people to get involved in manufacturing,” said Betsey Odell, the director of development at CCAM.

The event was put on to coincide with National Manufacturing Day, which is recognized on the first Friday of each October, and strives to highlight the goods and services that are made in the U.S. Events at manufacturing centers like CCAM were being held around the country, to inspire young people to pursue careers in engineering-related fields.

The students got a chance to tour CCAM’s manufacturing floor, and take part in demonstrations involving drones, augmented reality, and mechatronics.

David Webb, an assistant profession of mechanical engineering at John Tyler, was showing students the various workings of a drone he was flying around the facility.

“It definitely brings them over,” he said, laughing.

“The drone functions parallel much of the manufacturing done at CCAM.”

The students who came to the center were a mix; some are already studying in manufacturing-related fields, while others attended out of curiosity.

“Some [students] are in programs already, but some are just being introduced,” said Odell. “It was a labor of love for the instructors to find students in might be interested in these careers.” <more>