Kendallville, IN – Be Noble Inc., Noble County’s local economic development organization, was one of several collaborating partners from across Northeast Indiana that brought together the region’s first experiential day camp for middle schoolers to highlight many of the technologies used in advanced manufacturing.

Manufacturing Experience 2022 took place on October 29 in the iSMART Lab and Freedom Academy classrooms at the Community Learning Center in Kendallville. Nearly two dozen young learners from area public, private, and home schools participated in a series of hands-on learning opportunities focused largely on skills related to autonomous systems, including AC/DC electrical systems, circuits, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), soldering, 3D printing, and more. 

“Thank you for having this camp today!” said one parent in an email received just hours after camp ended on Saturday. “My boys absolutely loved it and have not stopped talking about it!”

Manufacturing Experience is part of a digitally based manufacturing career awareness campaign (www.beginswith.me) spearheaded by Northeast Indiana Works. The camp was a collaboration involving Northeast Indiana Works, Be Noble, Freedom Academy, Impact Institute, iSMART Lab, and Don Wood Foundation. More camps are scheduled throughout northeast Indiana in 2023 and 2024.  

To learn more about the awareness campaign and more upcoming camps, visit beginswith.me.