AMT Launches Smartforce Career & Education Experience Digital Platform

As a result of the 2020 International Manufacturing Technology Show’s (IMTS) cancellation, the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT, McLean, Vermont) has re-imagined its Smartforce Student Summit, which offers students the opportunity to experience and engage different job functions available in manufacturing. Now available as a digital platform, the Summit has been rebranded as the Smartforce Career & Education Experience.

According to AMT, the goal was to launch an experience with its key industry exhibit partners who focus on the education space such Haas Automation, FANUC, Festo, Autodesk, Mastercam and more. Within the digital platform itself (accessed through the IMTS website), a Smartforce Exhibit Experience, Tech it Out! game show and the Miles for Manufacturing 5K (M4M) have been made available.

Partnering with Lingar (Boston, Massachusetts), AMT delivers an augmented reality (AR) smartphone application for teachers and students. Tailored specifically toward high school and college students, users can view an exhibit partner landing page, see 3D models of machines and parts and more through the app’s platform.

To help teachers better engage in a remote learning environment, AMT has also launched a game show called Tech It Out!. Debuted as a trivia-style game show on the IMTS network, two teams go head-to-head to show off their knowledge of the key technologies and earn the most points. AMT says it provides a fun and captivating learning tool to introduce students to transformational technologies including:

• Five-axis CNC machining
• Additive manufacturing (AM)
• Artificial intelligence (AI) with a focus on machine learning
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Automation with a focus on robotics
• Digital twin
• Generative design

Further, the IMTS Network is continuing with its Miles For Manufacturing (M4M) virtual 5K (or bicycle, swim, ski or snow shoe). Sponsorship and participant funding supports FIRST Robotics teams and STEM, community-based organizations who champion under-served, under-represented students around the country.

Finally, AMT has worked closely with the NIMS Executive Committee to launch a job board available on the NIMS website and on the Smartforce Experience site. Features include job listings, a resume generator and career pathway exploration within the manufacturing sphere.