By James Johnson and Jonice Sylvester Staff Writers
President Barack Obama recently issued a proclamation calling Oct. 3 National Manufacturing Day. 25 students from Cody DIT visited Detroit Manufacturing Systems on Oct. 3 to tour the facility and kick off a partnership that will continue throughout the school year.
Cody DIT science teacher Chad Segrist said DMS representatives met Cody DIT students when the DIT robotics team was one of three Detroit teams invited to display their robots at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
“The D.M.S representatives were highly impressed with our students ability to interact with adults and share some experiences with them,” Segrist said.
DMS CEO Andra Rush wanted to partner with Cody DIT to offer students opportunities to better understand manufacturing and the career opportunities that are open. Jason McCorder of DMS contacted Segrist to discuss how DMS could help the school. DMS decided to provide funding for a 3-D printer for DIT’s robotics team. McCorder also arranged the Manufacturing Day tour.
There are many possible applications for 3-D printing, and a 3-D printing cirruculum is being created for use with the 3-D printer that is coming soon. Students will learn to use the printer in the robotics program, and they eventually might make parts for the robot and for a public lighting project they’re working on with local artists.
The hope for the partnership between DMS and Cody DIT is that it will result in opportunities for internships, job shadowing, and possible employment for students while they are still in high school.
Junior Haider Almaleki was really interested in everything he saw because he wants to be an engineer and is hoping for an internship with DMS next summer.
“That was my first time seeing an assembly line, and I never knew about plastic engineering before,” Almaleki said.
