Microvellum reaffirms its partnership with Reed-Custer High School (RCHS), a small-town institution with 500 students situated in Braidwood, Illinois, USA, by recently providing a donation for upgraded software and licenses.
The Industrial Technology program at RCHS, offers a wide range of instruction covering real-world manufacturing processes, materials, and equipment, and CNC machinery.
In continued support of RCHS and Mark Smith, a dedicated shop teacher who helps his students discover career paths in the wood industry, Microvellum donated over $100,000 in software upgrades and licenses for their Toolbox software, Microvellum's utoCAD-based design for manufacturing software.
The manufacturing lab at RCHS boasts 18 workstations, each equipped with Toolbox licenses, alongside state-of-the-art equipment such as the Thermwood model 43 CNC router, table saws, face frame tables, and a variety of other tools commonly found in professional cabinet shops. Through this program, students engage in real-world manufacturing projects and gain firsthand experience of how technology is integral to modern wood product manufacturing.
RCHS offers the following classes:
- Orientation to Technology where students build longboards and earn their Woodwork Career Alliance Saw Blade Certificate
- STEM where the students build Taylor acoustic guitars
- Production 1 & 2 where the students build and install kitchen cabinets within homeowners' residence
- CAD/CAM 1 & 2 where the students build RTA entertainment centers and other projects
- 3D Printing where students design 3D solid models and print them
- Dual-Credit AutoCAD where students learn how to use AutoCAD and create CAD drawings.
Recently, Mark introduced his students to Microvellum's e-Learning courses, part of Microvellum University, which feature video-based training plans, sample projects, and quizzes. Hosted by RJ Pranski, an MVU instructor, and cabinet maker with over 20 years of industry experience and an advanced user of Microvellum software, these educational videos showcase workflows employed by designers, drafters, estimators, and engineers in typical projects utilizing Toolbox.
"My students are currently using the tutorial videos, and they're fantastic! They sit down at their computers, pull up the Microvellum University training plans, watch the videos, and complete the courses. This makes learning how to use Microvellum very easy," shared Mark.
Students participating in RCHS's Industrial Technology Program have full access to Microvellum's software and MVU eLearning training plans to further their education and skills.
"Empowering educators and schools with Microvellum software isn't just about donating technology; it's about investing in future drafters, engineers, innovators, and business owners. It's about helping people like Mark bridge the skills gap and bring awareness to the amazing opportunities that exist within the wood industry," commented David Fairbanks, President of Microvellum Software.
