NBT Foundation establishes new endowment fund to support manufacturing camp grants

Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT), The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA), Elgin, Ill., has established the Board Chairs’ Endowment. This endowment fund, which will monetarily support the summer manufacturing camp grant program, will be funded through gifts bestowed by past chairs of the boards of directors of NBT, FMA, and the Tube & Pipe Association Intl.

Grants are awarded to community and trade colleges and technical high schools that host summer camp activities designed to introduce youth ages 12 to 16 to manufacturing and promote manufacturing careers.

The endowment will be fully funded after the initial amount of $50,000 is raised (within a three-year pledge window), and grants will be awarded at the end of the first full year once interest income reaches the minimum grant amount level. One or more camp grants will be issued each year thereafter according to a tiered schedule.

Edward Youdell, president/CEO of FMA and NBT, said, “The manufacturing skilled labor shortage won’t solve itself. These camps provide youth with exposure to vocational and technical trades that is no longer available in most public education systems. For most of the young people who attend these camps, it is their first introduction to how things are made and what skills are required for entry into the world of manufacturing. They often discover that the training they will need to get started is readily available in their local community at the school where they are attending camp.”

Since 2004 NBT has awarded nearly $750,000 in grants to trade schools and community and technical colleges to host summer camps that will lead to careers in manufacturing. Itawamba Community College (ICC) in Belden, Miss., has been hosting NBT camps since 2012. Gina Black, project manager at Community Development Foundation in Tupelo, Miss., serves as ICC’s camp director and had this to say about their summer camp: “These types of camps are needed in every community where manufacturing is one of the largest industries. Boys and girls in middle school should be introduced to the advanced manufacturing field. We hope attitudes and mindsets will change about advanced manufacturing in our area. Hopefully, the students that are in our camp will choose jobs in the manufacturing field where there is a high demand. [My recommendation to others is to] be determined to implement a similar camp in your community and partner with a local school and local manufacturers. It takes a great team to pull it off. It’s a valuable workforce development tool.”

Applications for 2019 manufacturing camp grants will be accepted July 1 to Dec. 1. For more information, visit www.nbtfoundation.org/camps. To learn more about NBT programs or contribute to the Board Chairs’ Endowment, contact NBT staff at 888-394-4362 or foundation@fmanet.org.