The expo in Technology Hall on the Waterbury Campus of NVCC featured tours of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) for students. Twenty-one exhibitors, including local employers and manufacturers were on hand for the event. Among the area manufacturers, NVCC hosted a table with 2 AMTC staff members available for questions, conversation and general information about the Center and the program- including information sessions and samples of machine projects. Students had the opportunity to speak directly with manufacturing participants about career opportunities. According to AMTC Center Director, Joe Defeo, “It was a very lively event with over 500 middle school and high school students getting exposure to the AMTC center and engineering options here at NVCC. Although, it was not designed to be a registration event, the student participants received program and contact information to pursue their interests in advanced manufacturing.”

NVCC’s President, Daisy Cocco De Filippis, joined WATR Radio hosts on Talk of the Town and Manufacturing Matters to talk about the manufacturing program at NVCC. “We are happy to collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce and the Waterbury Board of Education as we embrace our role as a bridge of opportunity for the communities we serve. We are encouraged by the State support represented by the presence and participation of Shawn Wooden, State Treasurer, and Colin Cooper, Connecticut’s newly-appointed Chief Manufacturing Officer, who shared their enthusiasm for the beautiful facilities and the good work taking place at NVCC.”

H. Justin Moore, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Division of NVCC presented a “hands-on” demonstration in collaboration with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) https://www.ccat.us/ in NVCC’s Mechanical Engineering lab to highlight the STEM portion of the expo. According to Associate Dean Moore, “At the Manufacturing/STEM Expo, CCAT led Interactive Zone activities that focused on manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies. The zone featured a Live Portrait activity using the latest annual Hartford Business Journal publication, Cool Stuff Made in Connecticut. LivePortrait, allowed students to use a tablet’s camera over an image, transforming it from a still frame to a short video clip describing “cool” companies in Connecticut. A scavenger hunt challenged students and educators to encourage learning about the cool stuff that is made in Connecticut and the careers and educational pathways available. Other app-based activities including the production of a flying drone, product design, retooling of a factory floor, and repair to a robot that had unexpectedly shut down were part of the interactive program. All of the students absolutely loved the Interactive Zone!
Well done, CCAT!”