Spotlight

On Saturday, August 24, 2024, the Battle in the Burg robot combat tournament brought together 38 teams from six states at the Bloomsburg Children's Museum. It featured 45 student-built robots battling it out in the one-pound combat robot division. This year's competition was a remarkable showcase of the talents of middle school and college students who designed,fabricated, and competed with their own robots.

But this exciting event wasn't just about competition; it was a testament to the power of hands-on learning and a shared vision of fostering a new generation of engineers, fabricators, and innovators—the future of manufacturing.

At the heart of this success was the continued support of Dyco Inc., a PMMI member who, through the matching funds of the PMMI U Skills Fund, helped make this initiative a reality. The partnership between Dyco Inc. and the PMMI U Skills Fund is a shining example of how industry and education can collaborate to shape the future workforce.

"The Children’s Museum provides a wide range of impressive programs right here in our area. It’s been rewarding to have students see that their participation in battle bot tournaments and manufacturing summer camps not only has real-world applications but can lead to exciting and fulfilling careers. This directly benefits our industry and our community as a whole." —Aaron Russell, HR Director, Dyco

What's particularly exciting about this year's competition is that it is a direct result of the Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) summer manufacturing camp, co-branded in partnership with PMMI, which introduces students to the world of manufacturing. Dyco's ongoing support and PMMI's matching funds enabled students to fully participate in the Battle in the Burg and gain critical technical and leadership skills.

“Besides the obvious financial support that allows us to provide higher quality camps, programs, and events while not passing costs off to those we serve, industry partners help to inspire the students we work with by introducing them to possible future careers. This aligns with a focus area of the Museum, which is to introduce students to exciting, sustainable, and obtainable careers in our region and help prevent talent drain. Our industry partners help us achieve this through plant tours, guest speakers, and a presence at events such as Battle in the Burg or our annual science fair.”—Ginny Weibel, PhD, Director, Bloomsburg Children's Museum

The students who participate in Battle in the Burg are not just building robots—they're building essential skills that will prepare them for future careers in manufacturing. From learning advanced fabrication techniques to applying engineering principles, these young innovators are developing invaluable insights into real-world applications within the packaging and processing industry that align with the industry's workforce needs.

You Can Make This Impact in Your Community

As industry partnerships and collaborations continue to champion workforce development through programs like the PMMI U Skills Fund, it's clear that these investments have a profound effect—not just on the participants but on the industry as a whole. With the next generation of innovators and creators emerging from programs like this, the future of manufacturing looks bright.

Any PMMI member can achieve results like these for local schools and students. The PMMI U Skills Fund is a resource designed to help you form meaningful partnerships with regional two- to four-year colleges,universities, technical/vocational schools, or other educational programs in your area. It will match your company's contributions up to $50,000 per year to fund regional education programs of your choice.

Whether you partner with a school to strengthen an industry-related program, collaborate with a STEM summer camp, coordinate a group of students to attend PACK EXPO, or invest in the future workforce in other ways, the PMMI U Skills Fund is here to assist with the financial commitments required for these initiatives. For more information and to apply,contact Kate Fiorianti, senior manager of workforce development at PMMI, at kate@pmmi.org or 571.266.4406.

Learn more about the PMMI U Skills Fund, and apply today.