Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs supports future inventors.July 17, 2009 -
Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs, The Foundation of FMA, encourages youth to enter careers in manufacturing to avert shortage of skilled workers. NBT offers grants to not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions introducing young people to metal forming and fabricating careers in manufacturing, provides funding to organizations starting or expanding manufacturing camps for youth, and issues scholarships to students at colleges and trade schools pursuing careers in manufacturing.
Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) Targets America's Future 'Tinkerers' and Inventors |
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Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.
833 Featherstone Rd.
Rockford, IL, 61107
USA
Press release date: July 15, 2009
Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., (FMA) encourages America's youth to enter careers in manufacturing to avert a growing crisis in this country - the shortage of skilled workers in the trade arena.
Based in Rockford, Ill., headquarters for the FMA, NBT provides grants to educational institutions offering manufacturing camps and awards scholarships to students pursuing trade careers. This year, the NBT has already awarded 19 grants to organizations offering summer manufacturing camps and 29 scholarships to students pursing vocational and technical careers.
FMA executives Gerald Shankel and Terrence Egan direct the organization, serving as president and director, respectively, while actor, director and producer John Ratzenberger, an NBT founder, leads the Foundation's national public awareness campaigns.
"We are utilizing our resources to spread the message that manufacturing is a viable career option," said Shankel. "We must spark interest among young people in the industry and help revitalize the future of manufacturing in America."
"We must inform today's youth that it's honorable to work with your hands," said Egan. "The focus is on inspiring young people to ultimately explore the manufacturing career path by getting them to tinker, fix and make stuff, and dream about inventing things."
Ratzenberger contributes his extensive experience with American manufacturers and valuable relationships in the entertainment, political, social and corporate arenas.
"I can think of no enterprise more worthy than one devoted to inspiring the next generation of engineers, builders and manufacturers," said Ratzenberger. "I am proud to know that with each child who attends one of our camps or receives one of our scholarships, we are rebuilding America's foundation one tinkerer at a time.
"We must encourage young people to consider manufacturing as a career when they graduate from high school," added Ratzenberger. "Part of the problem is the media and Hollywood often portray manufacturing and anyone who works with their hands in a poor light. But the industrial arts have always taken precedence over the fine arts ... remember, someone had to build the ceiling before Michelangelo could go to work. And even the most educated and skilled brain surgeon can't save a life if a plumber hasn't done his job so that clean, hot water flows through the pipes in the operating room where the surgical teams wash their hands. We need to do better at informing the next generation and their parents that working a skilled job with your hands can be rewarding financially and fulfilling personally."
NBT recently launched a text-to-give program that allows people to donate to the organization by simply texting "123" to the number "90999" from their cell phone. Supporters will be prompted to confirm their gift by replying with the word YES. After replying with YES, they will receive a confirmation, and the message generates a five dollar donation charged directly to the caller's cell phone bill.
Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs: The Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., offers grants to not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions introducing young people to metal forming and fabricating careers in manufacturing, provides funding to organizations starting or expanding manufacturing camps for youth, and issues scholarships to students at colleges and trade schools pursuing careers in manufacturing. More information on NBT is available by visiting www.NutsAndBoltsFoundation.org.
Based in Rockford, Ill., the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International, is a professional organization with more than 2,300 members working together to improve the metal forming and fabricating industry.
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