Students at the annual WESTEC Conference may attend special presentations relating to career opportunities in engineering, manufacturing and technology. A special program is scheduled for young women who would like to learn more about Engineering:  Career Opportunities for Women.

The Small Manufacturers Institute (SMI), in partnership with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation, the Century Club, and the Coalition for Manufacturing Careers (CMC) invites high school counselors, teachers and their technical students to participate in an Annual WESTEC Student Summit held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This special educational activity allows approximately 500 high school 11th and 12th graders and their mentors to tour WESTEC, the annual SME manufacturing technology trade show.

The young men and women attending have an opportunity to spend a full day at WESTEC. The Century Club provides lunch. Students have an opportunity to interact with industry leaders, see first-hand demonstrations of the latest in advanced manufacturing technology and be briefed on higher education and training opportunities.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Between 7:30 - 9:00 a.m., students have an opportunity to talk with community college and university representatives about engineering, manufacturing and technology related academic programs, participate in special “fun” competitions sponsored by the engineers of corporations like Boeing and Northrop Grumman, and see special exhibits. At 9:00 a.m. students assemble for welcoming remarks, announcements and award presentations. From 10:00 a.m. until noon, students in small groups tour booths of selected industry leading companies that provide hands-on demonstrations on a variety of state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. The Century Club and its members provide lunch at WESTEC for all school groups.

Following lunch, students and teachers continue touring the WESTEC Expo. Special student-oriented booths are set up especially for the Student Summit event, including a booth featuring the construction of FIRST Robotics Competition robots. Another booth, sponsored by the National Tooling and Machining Association Training Centers, focuses on career opportunities in machining. HAAS Automation Inc. offers special orientation seminars for students interested in machining careers.

Community College representatives participating at WESTEC 2006 were as follows:

•CCC - Dr. Marshall Gartenlaub, Statewide CACT Director

•North Orange County CCD - Norma Alvarado, CACT Director

•Los Angeles CCD - Grace Ishikawa, CACT Director

•El Camino College - Victoria Martinez, Tech Prep Consortium & Edward Hofmann, Manufacturing Technology

•LA Pierce College - Ron Smetzer, Manufacturing Technology

For more information:  Marshall Gartenlaub, Ph.D., Statewide Director, CACT, Economic & Workforce Development

(909) 949-4549,  marshallg@cccewd.net 

WESTEC 2006 Exposition and Conference
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, CA USA
March 27 - 30, 2006 and in the spring, each year.

WESTEC defines the West Coast manufacturing landscape, delivering pioneering technologies and strategies, new supplier networks, and business relationships. This year, WESTEC gives you even more by anchoring a bold new event -- The Total Manufacturing Experience!

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