ROCKFORD, Ill., Jan. 22, 2015 – Thirteen students pursuing careers in manufacturing each earned $2,500 toward their post-secondary studies from Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA).

For the Spring 2015 semester, Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) awarded manufacturing scholarships to the following students:

• Angela Aviles, Palatine, Ill., welding technology/maintenance technology at Harper College
• Louis Bogowith, Gainesville, Mo., welding at Lincoln College of Technology
• Jovani Blas, Franklin Park, Ill., engineering technology/mechanical design at Triton College
• Michael Czerniakowski, Toledo, Ohio, engineering at The Ohio State University
• John Dubravec, Rockford, Mich., engineering manufacturing at University of Michigan
• Mark Emond, Jr., Oxford, Wis., automated manufacturing systems technology (AMST) at Madison Area Technical College (MATC)
• Michael Murphy, Marion, Iowa, CNC machining at Kirkwood Community College
• Morgan Nash, Kettering, Ohio, mechanical engineering at The Ohio State University
• Robert Robinson, Niceville, Fla., drafting and design at Northwest Florida State College
• Titus Shumaker, Oxford, Mich., mechanical engineering at Kettering University
• Joshua Smith, Loveland, Colo., biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering at Colorado State University
• Sydney Tefft, Salem, Ill., mechanical engineering at Saint Louis University
• James McClure, Zimmerman, Minn., mechanical drafting at Anoka Technical College

“We are pleased to award scholarships to these deserving students and are happy to assist them in reaching their academic goals,” said Edward Youdell, president of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs. “They recognize that skilled manufacturing careers can be rewarding financially and fulfilling personally and will help them be more competitive in the current job market.

“The most difficult U.S. jobs to fill today are those in the skilled trades and engineering,” added Youdell. “With majors in machine tool and CNC technology, structural and pipe welding, sheet metal fabrication, engineering, and precision machining technology, these students will be prepared for the skilled labor openings that American manufacturers must fill.”

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants were required to be full-time students meeting a specified minimum GPA, and enrolled in an engineering or manufacturing-related course of study, or a trade or technical program leading to a career in manufacturing. Students were responsible for submitting academic records and an engineering or manufacturing-related program description with each application.

In addition to the scholarship, each winner also received from NBT’s industry partner SolidWorks Corporation a copy of its Student Design Kit CAD software package. The Student Design Kit is an easy-to-learn, Windows-based 3D CAD application that gives students the ability to create “real-life” 3D designs they can easily manipulate.

Since 1990, FMA’s Foundation has awarded scholarships annually to students in courses of study that will lead to careers in manufacturing. For more information visit www.nutsandboltsfoundation.org/Scholarships.

About SolidWorks Corporation
SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the latest news, information, or a live online demonstration, visit the company’s Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000.

About FMA
Based in Rockford, Ill., FMA is a professional organization with nearly 2,500 members working together to improve the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and fabricating equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, and the FABTECH^® tradeshow. FMA also has two technology affiliates, the Tube & Pipe Association, Intl. (TPA), which focuses on the unique needs of companies engaged in tube and pipe producing and fabricating; and the Sustainable Manufacturer Network, a professional organization of individual members dedicated to working toward environmentally-friendly manufacturing. www.fmanet.org

# # #

Contact

Patricia Lee
Director of Marketing
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA)
patl@fmanet.org
+1-815-227-8286