Blog Post: ATMA Begins to “Fill the Pipeline” with Summer Internships!

The lack of a skilled workforce has become a serious problem for advanced manufacturing during the past several years.  So, the ATMA began a summer internship program with students 16 to 21 years of age who had a desire to explore careers in precision manufacturing. The program began June 2 and will run through August 1, 2008.

49 students from local high schools and community based organizations like Valley of the Sun United Way, Goodwill, Workforce Connections Centers and Friendly House were identified for the program. After a screening process, 43 students were placed in internships through out the entire Valley. The students are in the classroom one day per week where they are learning valuable life skills and in teams, they will build 15 pound robots to compete at the end of the internship. Most importantly, they will be working in a precision machine shop four days a week...learning skills in advanced manufacturing.

Student(s) were assigned a mentor at their assigned job location who is helping to guide them during their career exploration. The mentors are machinists, welders, mechanics, inspectors, engineers, etc.  The students will work four days a week, six hours a day for eight weeks at an hourly wage of $8.00 per hour. The ATMA hopes to do a similar program in the summer of 2009!

Our efforts were collaborated through partnerships involving the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, City of Phoenix Community and Economic Department, Small Business and Workforce Connection Division and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

Why are we doing it? Well because if you stop to think about it, everything we buy or use in America has to be designed and manufactured - - - whether it's an airplane, an automobile, a bicycle or a skateboard! And to make those products you need math, science, engineering and computer-aided design skills. So, by helping to train today's youth in advanced manufacturing, we can continue to make all those great products right here in the USA!