You never know what idea might take flight …
Hundreds of students, including more than 30 engineering students from Xavier High School, made their way to the Connecticut Convention Center Wednesday morning for the Aerospace Components Manufacturers (ACM) show.
Seniors Aidan Muldoon and Aidan Pesce were intrigued on a few levels.
“We get to learn about the different industries and the potential job opportunities, and we’re also looking for potential sponsors for robotics,” Muldoon said.
“It opens doors and we can make connections,” Pesce said.
The room was filled with row after row of aerospace manufacturers.
“Whether you get a college degree or not, there are opportunities inside that room,” Richard Cleary of the ACM said to the Xavier students gathered in the lobby before they headed inside a room that had about 95 manufacturing companies, illustrating the importance of the aerospace industry to the Connecticut economy.
“Feel free to talk to people at any of the booths,” Cleary said. “They are willing to answer any and all questions you have. These companies are looking to hire. As we recover from the pandemic a lot more planes are flying, so there is a lot more need for parts.”
Engineering teacher Kelsey Doherty said students can get a feel for what it takes to get an internship or into the manufacturing field. It’s a classroom of a different kind.
“Everyone is excited to share why they are passionate about the industry,” Doherty said. “There’s lots of hands-on stuff such as 3D printed metal parts that go into making a plane. Lots of cool things you can touch and understand that these people build. It’s the type of things we do in class; we learn about 3D printing and computer aided drafting on a simpler level.”
Now the students get to relate that on a different level.