July 25, 2024 by SME Communications As a champion for the next generation of talent in the ever-evolving field of manufacturing, SME believes in the promise of additive manufacturing (AM), an advanced technology that has already greatly transformed the industry and will continue to do. For over a decade, SME has sponsored the SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition, a platform for emerging AM talent to gain recognition and access to real-world, hands-on experience that can propel their careers forward. The organization has partnered with global AM leader Stratasys for years to bring together some of the brightest minds from across the nation to showcase their skills. Did you know? Being part of a winning team isn’t just to earn bragging rights. At the 2024 competition, held in Atlanta in June at the 60th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, high school and post-secondary student winners received: gold, silver and bronze medals from SkillsUSA, scholarships of $1,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively, from the SME Education Foundation, a one-year subscription for Tooling U-SME online learning classes, and a one-year SME membership. Post-secondary winners also received RAPID + TCT 2025 full-conference passes. Learn more about the competition and this year’s winners here. As SkillsUSA AM Competition winners, these talented students can take advantage of SME membership benefits just as their professional lives are beginning, such as: invaluable connections to industry peers, trusted knowledge and resources on manufacturing technology and trends, the latest job postings, and career-enhancing leadership opportunities. SME membership and SME’s additional financial and educational support helps prepare them for rewarding and lucrative careers in manufacturing. They’ve begun working towards their futures now, as high school and college student members and their future is looking bright!
