Workforce Programs
CAMA offers a continuum of programs geared towards students from kindergarten through high school. Hands-on activities engage the students and motivate them to pursue manufacturing careers.
Kindergarten – 5th Grade (Objective: Create Ingenuity & Be Resourceful)
The Cardboard Challenge is a celebration of child creativity and the role communities can play in fostering hands-on learning. Inspired by the short film, Caine’s Arcade, K-5 students are challenged to create and build using cardboard, recycled materials and only their creative imagination.
Middle School (Objective: Learn Career Paths & Be Experimental)
The Empowering Creators program is all about experiential learning. CAMA has developed a program for 8th graders that exposes the students to the major elements of manufacturing operations. The goal of the program is to provide the opportunity to learn about manufacturing careers while applying their knowledge and conceptual understanding to real-world problems or situations.
High School (Objective: Strategic & Developmental Planning)
CAMA has launched CareerWise Colorado, previously known as Business and Schools in Collaboration (BASIC), to support the development of experiential learning by turning businesses into classrooms. We encourage manufacturers to develop their own talent by supporting career exploration, internships, pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships. To help businesses, CAMA also worked to create the Innovative Industries Internship Program to provide businesses $5,000 a year to help off-set the costs of student intern.
Additionally, CAMA hosts biannual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Manufacturing Summits. These events bring CTE instructors and industry representatives together to discuss curriculum. The objective is to establish a direct feedback loop between industry and education, enabling CTE programs to emphasize the soft and technical skills that are most sought after by local employers.
SKILLFUL.COM
For employers and student applicants pursing a career in manufacturing, you should take a look at Skillful.com. This website is a place for individuals who might not have a college degree and are pursuing a career in manufacturing. Skillful provides the tools and resources to finding better jobs that will help advance their career. Click here to find out more about Skillful and how to create an account.
