3D printing course for educators includes free Apple IPad and 3D printer
FAIRFIELD – Kennebec Valley Community College announced registration is open for 3D Printing Series, which equips trainees with a free Apple iPad, Apple Pencil, and Flashforge 3D printer. Popular with schools, libraries, and community centers, the course begins on July 9. It introduces students to user-friendly 3D software and design and provides three CEUs. Training is free to members of the Maine Workforce Development Compact.
“The course is taught online in three weeks,” said instructor Stephen LaRochelle. “Students learn how to operate and troubleshoot their printer, they learn about free software options, and they are introduced to 3D modeling and design. It is structured for educators to take back to their classrooms to increase exposure in STEAM education and to engage learners in emerging technology and additive manufacturing.”
Once only considered an option for prototyping, 3D printing technology has transformed production technology, evolving significant industries such as automotive, aviation, construction, consumer products, and healthcare. Additive manufacturing benefits businesses by reducing inventory, increasing product life, lowering component costs, and enhancing the supply chain. Acumen Research and Consulting forecasts the global 3D printing market will reach $41 billion by 2026.
“Having a 3D printer in the classroom or workplace allows students and employees to create rapid prototypes and build custom one-off pieces,” said LaRochelle. He’s had students design and print fishing lures and drone housings. Recently, a farmer created a distributor plate for a hand seeding machine that’s no longer manufactured.
The 3D Printing Series is $1,200, but can be paid for with grant funding from the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce. Employers can access funding by becoming members of the Maine Workforce Development Compact. To pre-register for the course, go to https://kvcc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cw2GFyUUxciHFNs or email [email protected] To become a member of the Compact, visit https://www.mccs.me.edu/workforce-training/maine-workforce-development-compact/ or email [email protected]
Kennebec Valley Community College is one of seven community colleges operating under the authority of the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees, located on a seventy-acre campus in Fairfield, Maine. KVCC offers the lowest tuition in New England, with tuition rates set at $96 per credit hour for Maine residents. There are multiple financial aid options available for prospective and current students, including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs, and more.