Manufacturing & Engineering Job Fair April 21 at MakerspaceCT
MakerspaceCT in downtown Hartford will be the center of the action on April 21, 2023, hosting the year’s second Manufacturing and Engineering Job Fair at 36 Talcott Street, 2 – 5 PM. This will draw Hartford residents seeking to launch or advance careers, businesses from throughout Greater Hartford and Connecticut with a range of jobs to fill. It is the perfect setting for mutually beneficial connections.
Some of the participating Connecticut employers anticipated include numerous industry leaders: bmiCAD, AXIS Laser, Pursuit Aerospace, Robert E. Morris, Theaterworks, Novo Precision, S&S Centerless Grinding, Kamatics, Westbrook Products, Apollo Professional Solutions, TRN Staffing Logan Steel, and Fuss & O’Neill.
Among the numerous job categories that the companies are seeking to fill are: Computer Aided Design, 3D Printing Operations, Print Reading, Metrology for Machining, Shop Safety & Operations, Material Handling, Machine Operators, Theater Set Design & Fabrication, and Environmental Planning.
“Connecticut offers fantastic job opportunities in manufacturing and engineering. Now is the perfect time to pursue, switch, or kickstart a career in these dynamic and fulfilling fields,” stated Devra Sisitsky, Executive Director of MakerspaceCT. “Our partnership with the City of Hartford and The Justice Education Center brings new opportunities for city residents, and we’re thrilled by the enthusiastic participation in our programs.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently noted that as employment increases following the peak of the pandemic, more doors are opening to women and diversity in the field. Women in the field, for example, earned on average 16{e3fa8c93bbc40c5a69d9feca38dfe7b99f2900dad9038a568cd0f4101441c3f9} more than the national median annual income overall for women who are employed. And as manufacturers strive to foster creativity, they have found that gender diversity boosts employee morale and retention, the U.S. Census Bureau points out.
MakerspaceCT features nearly 30,000 square feet of workshops which support an almost limitless variety of material types and fabrication processes—CNC Machining, Metal Fabrication, 3D Printing, Laser Engraving, Vacuum Forming and much more — equipment that is, in many cases, too expensive or too large for a home or small business to accommodate. The mission: To positively impact lives by enabling access, innovation, and education.
Last fall, MakerspaceCT with support from the City of Hartford and The Justice Education Center launched free Hands-On Training for Engineering and Manufacturing Careers for Hartford residents.
Open to Hartford residents aged 18-29, these 10-week 60-hour programs are well-attended, and participants are among those expected to attend the Job Fair on April 21 to meet with prospective employers. Training included Computer Aided Design [CAD], additive manufacturing [3D printing], electronics soldering, circuitry assembly and basic programming using Internet of Things (IoT). In addition, students enrolled in a 12-hour introduction to Computer Numeric Controlled [CNC] Machining and another 30 hours OSHA shop safety certifications.
These programs introduce individuals to many aspects of engineering and manufacturing, providing opportunities to design and produce a working prototype. This gives students a chance to gain an understanding of how everyday objects get made. Students followed a step-by-step program to machine parts in metal or alloy – a natural next step to manufacturing, and became familiar with lab equipment by soldering electronic components. As an added benefit, students received 30 hours of OSHA general industry training on-site at MakerspaceCT, culminating in a completion certificate.
Located in the historic G.Fox building in downtown Hartford, MakerspaceCT provides opportunities not only to entrepreneurs and small businesses, but also local hobbyists, crafters, students and artists. This is unique training is for individuals seeking to expand their skills and for companies looking to expand their product lines.