Inspiring the Next Generation of Tennessee Manufacturers

This past June, 29 McMinn County middle school students participated in the inaugural MADE (Manufacturing, Assembly, Design and Engineering) Camp, where they explored careers in manufacturing, engineering, skilled trades and other technical fields through a week of interactive activities and industry engagement.

Hosted at the McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens, the camp provided students with opportunities to participate in STEM activities, team projects, industry presentations and tours of local manufacturing facilities. Through hands-on experiences and direct interaction with industry professionals, campers gained valuable insight into workplace expectations while strengthening skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving.

The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) was proud to partner with the McMinn County Economic Development Authority and other community stakeholders to support this innovative workforce development initiative. UT CIS Workforce Development Consultant Autumn Derrick volunteered for a day, assisting with experiential learning activities that helped students connect career concepts to real-world applications.

In addition to volunteering, UT CIS sponsored the camp, enabling the purchase of supplies for hands-on activities, helping ensure students had engaging opportunities to learn through exploration, creativity and teamwork. These interactive experiences supported the camp's mission of introducing young people to career pathways at an earlier age while encouraging them to consider future educational and workforce opportunities.

MADE Camp was developed through a collaborative effort involving the McMinn County Economic Development Authority, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, Athens City Schools, Cleveland State Community College, DENSO Manufacturing, McMinn County Schools, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Athens and Tennessee Wesleyan University. By bringing together educators, employers and community partners, the program created meaningful career awareness experiences while helping strengthen the future talent pipeline for local industry.

UT CIS is honored to support initiatives like MADE Camp that inspire students, strengthen communities and help build a skilled workforce for Tennessee's future.