Techies rejoice! The College of Technology launched a new Maker Certificate – with that, came an innovative partnership with Next Fab.
Ryan Hyde of Next Fab shows off sample projects at the Next Fab Wilmington open house.
It’s time to create the next big thing and the College of Technology has a certificate to help that happen – the Makers Certificate. The new program is designed to help students learn how to leverage a community centered “Maker Space” in order to create, prototype, design, and manufacture products. NextFab is a state of the art collaborative workspace that will offer the students in the program access to 2D printers, 3D printers, electronics equipment, laser cutting and engraving equipment, injection molding equipment, wood shop equipment, shopbot(s) with more to come depending on demand.
Maker Spaces, like Next Fab, are simply physical locations where students, community members from established businesses, and entrepreneurs can gather together, work on projects, network, build things and share information. Such communities build a space of innovation and collaboration.
“Through this partnership students will be able to utilize the cutting edge technology that NextFab offers,” said Dr. Mary Ann Westerfield, Dean of the College of Technology at Wilmington University.
Next Fab Wilmington is the latest addition to the Next Fab family, which has two locations in the Philadelphia area. The Wilmington location opened its doors in the Creative District, June 14.
Scott Shaw, chair of Game Design & Development and Video & Motion Graphics, believes the partnership is a tremendous educational opportunity. “NextFab is a space that is perfectly geared for collaboration, creation, fabrication and the emergence of ‘the next big thing,’” says Shaw. “The philosophy of incubation through innovation and education mirrors that of our Maker Certificate professors and students. We look forward to all that is produced from this partnership and are happy to have the opportunity to contribute in a unique way to the economic growth of Wilmington.”