Students Gain Real World Experience at Modern Manufacturing Summer Camp

STIHL Inc. Prepares Students to Fill Future Skills Gap in Manufacturing Jobs

News provided by

Jul 30, 2013, 12:30 ET

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern manufacturing companies are in desperate need of skilled workers. According to a new study by Manpower Group, that demand is only expected to increase in the coming years. That's one of the many reasons STIHL Inc. recently hosted its third annual Manufacturing Technology Summer Camp for teens in Virginia Beach, Va.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100407/PH82282LOGO )

"Getting students interested in manufacturing technology now is key to filling manufacturing positions in the future," said Simon Nance, manager of learning and development at STIHL Inc. "During this camp, students gain the hands-on experience to learn what jobs in modern manufacturing are all about."

The camp promotes careers in modern manufacturing, and over the span of four days, 35 high school students had the unique opportunity to design and build different usable products. The students were taught how to use machines, build three different types of lamps (made from STIHL parts), and then had to find the most efficient way to manufacture them.

On the final day, students competed to determine which team created the best process to manufacture and build the lamps. The "Next Step" team took home the top prize. Each member of the winning team received a scholarship of up to $1,000 from the Virginia Industry Foundation; scholarships are funded by STIHL Inc., FESTO, ECPI University and other camp supporters. Student Chelsea Hurst said being on the winning team has given her the confidence to pursue her dreams, "I want to be an engineer when I grow up, and being here showed me what it is all about."

The winning team members are:

Glenn Dano, Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, Va.
Chelsea Hurst, Granby High School, Norfolk, Va.
Cameron Jackson, St. Matthew's Catholic School, Virginia Beach, Va.
Elijah Nestor, Norfolk Collegiate, Norfolk, Va.
Hunter Voltz, Ocean Lakes High School, Virginia Beach, Va.
Julian Weimar, Landstown Technology Academy, Virginia Beach, Va.

The competition was judged by academic, corporate, and community leaders including

Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovani, president, Tidewater Community College
Joseph J. Bucci, DBA, department chair for the Business Leadership and Information Systems department, Regent University
Nick D'Antonio, national network manager for Dream It. Do It., The Manufacturing Institute in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Vukica Jovanovic, assistant professor, Old Dominion University
Christian Koestler, vice president of operations, STIHL Inc.
Captain John T Orr, operations administration, Virginia Beach City Police Department
Alice B. Scott, vice president of member services, Virginia Manufacturers' Association
Dr. Eric Shepherd, professor, dean of the School of Engineering and Technology, Hampton University

For more information on STIHL Inc., please visit www.stihlusa.com

The manufacturing camp is a collaboration between Dream It. Do It. Virginia, the Virginia Council on Advanced Technology Skills (VCATS) and STIHL Inc.

facebook.com/stihlusa
twitter.com/stihlusa / @stihlusa
youtube.com/stihlusa

SOURCE STIHL Inc.