Boston Centerless - Precision Matters Magazine Boston Centerless Precision Matters Summer 2019 | Page 5

At Boston Centerless, we have been at the forefront of this dilemma, investing our time and financial support with the National Robotics League (NRL). The NRL is a manufacturing workforce development program of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA), where students design and build remote- controlled robots (Bots) to face off in a gladiator-style competition. Through the manufacturing process of Bot building, students’ imaginations are captured as they design, build, and compete with their own robotic creations. Through this hands-on effort—along with industry partnerships—students gain practical knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), all essential skills for manufacturing. By formalizing ties between schools or youth organizations and manufacturing partners, students gain a better understanding and become enthusiastic about the career possibilities in manufacturing. Also, manufacturers are able to build valuable industry-school connections and workforce talent pipelines by helping these teams engineer a lean, mean, fighting machine. In other words, everybody wins. The NRL provides a national structure for educational robotics competitions for the purpose of increasing the pipeline into manufacturing-related career opportunities and to provide manufacturing companies with a program that invigorates and grows their organizations. Qualifying regional robotic programs join the NRL, which offers a fair, safe, and cost-effective environment from which to build, design, and compete. Student teams compete regionally so that they can test their robotic creations and battle for local supremacy. The NRL National Competition is held in May each year. Teams not only earn points for their arena battles but they are also evaluated by industry experts on their engineering binder. Each team presents its documentation binder, and both the content as well as the presentation are awarded points heavily weighted towards the crowning of the National Competition’s Grand Champion. The competitions are something that the students can get excited about, but in actuality, they are developing technical skills in mechanical and electrical engineering, machining and welding, along with 21st century skills in critical thinking, project management, communication, and teamwork. These competitions are also the ideal reverse career fair. They showcase the best and brightest potential new hires for the manufacturing industry, and you can be there recruiting for your company. Getting involved with an NRL program allows you to be proactive in engaging the 5 students that you want instead of waiting for them to find you amongst a crowded field of opportunities. Now, take one more look around your facility. How many of your current employees are going to be working for you in five years? In 10 years? In 20 years? Then, look around the community that surrounds your shop. How many students are within 5, 10, and 20 miles of your shop? The NRL acts as the hook that attracts smart, capable students who love to build things and solve problems. Exactly the type of people whom we hope will make up the next generation of manufacturing leaders. Wouldn’t it be great to utilize a program like the NRL to have the opportunity to engage such students in a fun program that will help them to learn the skills that you need in your future workforce? We have the ways to make it happen; you just need to be ready to launch. To learn more about the NRL, visit www. gonrl.org or feel free to contact Bill Padnos at [email protected].