Mastercam provides a vast array of curriculum and support materials for educators teaching Mastercam, from project-based learning modules to courses and tools from industry partners.
From schools that want to briefly expose their students to CAD/CAM, to schools preparing students for jobs in the manufacturing industry, Mastercam is committed to making it easy, effective, and affordable to teach and use the software.
Here are a few of the tools that Mastercam offers to make your life as an educator easier:
1. Mastercam University
Mastercam University provides free online, video-based training for computer-aided design and manufacturing. Students can sharpen their skills on their own schedule with easy-to-use, real-world training applications. Courses cover all levels of Mastercam skills from basic to advanced, with courses such as Mastercam Core, Introduction to Manufacturing, Mill-Turn, Multiaxis, and more.
2. Competitions
Mastercam sponsors and supports many competitions to allow students to learn skills and earn prizes using CAD/CAM! Here are just a few of the competitions that Mastercam supports:
- Project MFG is a collaborative effort with communities, educators, and industry leaders to elevate the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals. Mastercam is a proud sponsor, offering prototyping, on-site competition support, software, and prizes.
- WorldSkills celebrates the collective power of skills and encourages people to join their global skills movement. Mastercam is a Global Partner of WorldSkills and sponsors many competitions, including CNC Turning, CNC Milling, Plastic Die Engineering, and the Manufacturing Team Challenge.
- High Schools United with NASA To Create Hardware (HUNCH) is a STEM outreach effort to empower and inspire students through a Project-Based Learning program where high school students learn 21st century skills and have the opportunity to participate in the design and fabrication of real-world products for NASA. Hunch programs include Design & Prototype, Software, Hardware, Sewn Flight Articles, and more. Mastercam supports students with free software and technical support.
3. Partners with TITANS of CNC
Mastercam is proud to partner with TITANS of CNC, which provides free learning resources for manufacturing education and inspires people to get involved in the trades. With a free account on the TITANS of CNC Academy, you can learn CAD/CAM at any level in a way that is fun and practical for development. In addition, their Aerospace Academy shows you how to compete in the global aerospace industry by learning cutting-edge CAD/CAM/CNC and is free for anyone who joins.
4. Network of Teachers in the MEA
Mastercam has a private group, the Mastercam Education Alliance (MEA), whose mission is to bring together the community of educators who teach and use Mastercam by providing a platform for sharing valuable information with each other. Members of the MEA are invited to join a private Facebook group, which is a place for educators to interact with other instructors and the Mastercam educational community. Mastercam provides content and access to subject matter experts that is tailored to the needs of the MEA members and, in the future, will include teacher training.
5. Manufacturing Day
Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) is celebrated nationally on the first Friday of October, falling on October 6th this year. Manufacturing Day is very important for the manufacturing industry – it is manufacturing’s biggest opportunity to inspire the next generation of workers, shift perceptions about the industry, and build the foundation for the workforce of the future. There are over 4 million high-skill, high-tech, and high-paying jobs over the next decade that will need to be filled. MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges and build excitement about manufacturing careers to help their communities and future generations thrive.
Mastercam has welcomed students and educators for the past 14 years into their facility, providing behind-the-scenes tours of the building and opening the Manufacturing Lab to students to show them that today’s machine shops are not the dirty and dingy ones from the past, but are filled with the latest and most innovative technology and the latest machine tools.
Check your local community to see which companies are participating in MFG Day. It’s a great way to get students excited about manufacturing and to show them the different job opportunities out there that are connected to manufacturing, even if they aren’t the ones in the machine shop cutting actual parts.
Learn More
Mastercam has a wide range of tools and materials to help support educators. Please visit the Educational Resources for more information.
