At Custom Aluminum Products, middle school students took the lead on a project to design, manufacture and sell a new aluminum table and bench set. The program was part of a partnership between the Genoa-based company and NIU STEAM, in the NIU Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development.
The students used professional design software to engineer create potential table designs.
DeKalb middle schoolers from the NIU STEAM Barb City STEAM Team afterschool program joined Genoa-Kingston Middle School students for a hands-on introduction to a variety of professions. The students explored careers at every stage of the manufacturing process, from design to prototyping, engineering to troubleshooting, manufacturing to marketing. Along the way, professional engineers, project managers, web designers and marketing experts mentored the students at every stage.
“It was a meaningful and important learning experience for our students because the people at Custom Aluminum treated them like young professionals,” said Jasmine Carey, NIU STEAM educator and director of the Barb City STEAM team program. “They presented themselves as a company who has an order for an outdoor modular table that is weatherproof. Our students had to come up with a design, troubleshoot it and then market it.
Students tackled engineering design challenges on their way towards creating a usable table.
“What really stood out to me is that on day one Steve Dillett, the CEO of Custom Aluminum, told the students, ‘We understand that everybody’s not interested in every one of these careers, but everyone can contribute something.’ The students who are interested in engineering excelled on the 3D modeling and prototyping days. The students with strong communication and leadership skills excelled on the marketing and sales days. Each student found what they were interested in and where they had talents. That built their confidence and helped them realize that they can do hard things.”
Read our full story in NIU Today to learn more about the partnership.
Custom Aluminum CEO Steve Dillett joined students and parents to assemble the prototype tables – an important learning experience.
