A popular bootcamp is returning to Oak Ridge High School this spring thanks to a recent partnership between Roane State Community College and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).
Roane State announced its workforce training partnership with IACMI last year, making the college just the third location in the State of Tennessee to offer specialized no-cost machine tool training opportunities through America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), a press release said.
ACE is a joint Department of Defense and Department of Energy effort launched in 2020 to re-establish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technology innovation, and workforce development, the press release said.
Roane State and Oak Ridge High School educators joined specialized instructors during fall break for a CNC Bootcamp at the high school. The session welcomed the youngest-ever ACE training participant, Oak Ridge student Harry Shanafield, who was 13 when the camp took place.
“That’s pretty cool, but I don’t think it matters because I can learn just like everyone else,” he told camp organizers when learning about the milestone. Shanafield used Fusion 360 design software during the camp and machined his first part with a 5-axis machine, the press release said.
Many of the camp’s participants plan on pursuing careers in fields such as electrical engineering, machining, robotics, and aerospace.
“You’re always going to have a job. All the jobs are in CNC now because they’re so efficient,” said camp participant Eric Ellis, 19. “Everything you will see out there, a machinist has touched or designed, and I think that’s really cool.”
“Free programs like the CNC Bootcamp with IACMI and ACE are a critical component of our plan to meet the needs of the manufacturing workforce in our region,” said Teresa Duncan, Roane State’s vice president for workforce and community development. “As those needs grow, we will continue to invest in quality training and education opportunities for our students of all ages and skill levels.”
The CNC Bootcamp will return this spring at Oak Ridge High School with exact dates to be announced soon. Additional locations will be added as the program expands. Registration information will be shared online. Visit roanestate.edu/ACE for the latest information.
If you have a group that would like to participate as a cohort, contact camp coordinator Evan Lohrey at lohreye@roanestate.edu. More information about the programs is available online at AmericasCuttingEdge.org.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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