CHICAGO - The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) Student Summit at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2010 will combine an interactive orientation and Career Development Center (CDC) with a dynamic self-guided tour of the technology and manufacturing exhibition. IMTS is being held September 13 to 18, 2010, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Admission to IMTS 2010 for educators and their students is free and field trips are encouraged for students from middle school through high school and college levels. Student registration for the event opens April 1, 2010.

Sponsored by the Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT) along with NIMS, the event’s main goal is to generate interest and incite enthusiasm in young people for precision manufacturing through direct contact with industry professionals and state-of-the-art technology. Educators can have their students witness emerging technologies that will be the future platform for precision manufacturing.

“The future of manufacturing rests heavily on having a smart and capable work force,” states Peter Eelman, IMTS vice president - exhibitions & communications. “We are offering the opportunity for students and educators to experience IMTS, be immersed in precision manufacturing and interact with industry professionals, as well as take advantage of the outstanding program NIMS has planned for our student attendees. “We hope that students will see first-hand the outstanding, well-paying career opportunities precision manufacturing has to offer.”

NIMS Executive Director Stephen Mandes says, “It’s exciting to put together such a comprehensive program to serve our youth who are clearly the future of manufacturing.” He continues, “By tying the information we share in the orientation directly to processes students will see in the CDC and on the show floor, we can do an outstanding job of communicating the wide variety of exciting and rewarding career options in precision manufacturing.”

The NIMS Student Summit will feature the return of student-friendly exhibitors. Students will have the ability to interact with IMTS exhibitor personnel, ask questions about career opportunities and the skill sets required for entrance into the precision manufacturing industry. Examples of student-friendly exhibitors for 2010 include Sandvik Coromant, Agie Charmilles and Mori Seiki, to name a few.

The Career Development Center will be the focal point of the NIMS Student Summit. As part of the CDC, all students will experience an interactive event orientation during which they will learn about what they can expect during their visit, how their IMTS experiences will relate to future career opportunities in the industry, and hear from successful, young professionals in the industry. The CDC will feature industry human resource representatives who will discuss careers and opportunities with the students.

Graduating high school and college students may drop off their resumes, including contact information, to the CDC for participating companies to review for job openings. Educators bringing groups of students will be given more details about this exciting opportunity prior to IMTS.

The NIMS Student Summit at IMTS 2008 attracted more than 9,000 students and educators.

IMTS is the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States and is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. Recognized as one of the world’s preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology, IMTS attracts more than 92,000 visitors from every level of industry and more than 116 countries.

Continually updated information on the 2010 NIMS Student Summit at IMTS is available at www.IMTS.com/student.