(Fabricators and Manufacturers Association: Elgin, IL) -- This summer, thousands of kids will head to camp—not to canoe or trek in the woods, but to discover the exciting world of robotics, computer-aided design, and other manufacturing technologies.

Thanks to grants from the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA), SparkForce, and the FMA Foundation, more than 340 Summer Manufacturing Camps across the U.S. will welcome students from May to August.

A camper gets an introduction to 3D printing at Lakeshore College in Cleveland, Wisconsin.

Instructors demonstrate robotics at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Campers show off their finished projects at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan.

Campers weld sheet metal at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin.

More than 5,500 students, ages 12 to 16, are expected to attend the camps, which are designed to introduce them to the tools and skills used in modern manufacturing. Even if just 10% of those students pursue a manufacturing career, the effect on the industry’s future workforce would be significant, according to SparkForce director Ed Dernulc.

“We continue to grow the program—this year, we’re supporting camp locations in 29 states and impacting more than 5,500 young adults, a record number of participants,” Dernulc says. “This program continues to be the foundational program for SparkForce and FMA as a whole. These young students are the pipeline for the next generation of the manufacturing workforce.”

In addition to skills and technology, the camps also connect young people with local manufacturers and potential career options. According to a previous SparkForce survey, 81% of camp host organizations reported that providing students with opportunities to meet representatives from local manufacturing companies and tour nearby facilities was extremely beneficial.

To learn more, visit sparkforce.org.