So the post for this week is about one of the most amazing trips I have ever had to visit a school. I was invited by the director of the Business of Technology & Design Program Amy Cole to come to the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) last Friday February 21, 2014. Here is a link to the program http://www.svhed.org/bad/program-overview. This was a two fold visit, one to see a maker space in action and hopefully get a job.
The SVHEC is located in South Boston, Virginia in what feels like the middle of nowhere. It is a small town that lost a lot of its people when the textile industry left. The mission of the SVHEC is to train a workforce and bring jobs back to South Boston. Funded mostly by a Tobacco grant this is one of the most impressive places I have ever seen and way ahead of its time. The SVHEC aims to train people in advanced manufacturing and bring production back to the area. It also serves as a local research and development center to improve manufacturing in the area as well.
Now why would I go here as an educator? The answer is I love digital fabrication and want to train the younger generation to use it. I came to be fascinated with digital fabrication (laser cutters, CNC mills, 3D printers, etc.) when I was studying architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. I was intrigued by how we used it to push boundaries in what could be done in the development of our projects. Then when I went to Harvard, I tried to take a course called How To Make Almost Anything with Neil Gershenfeld at the MIT Media Lab. Long story short, I did not win the lottery to get into the class but was blown away by the introductory class I was allowed to attend. He was able to connect LEGOs, ribosomes, and digital fabrication together. Basically, he believed in the future everything will be made of tiny particles like LEGO bricks that can be easily put together and taken apart when they are done on a molecular level. This would make it where there is no waste in the future of production. My mind was blown!
The other connection with Neil that intrigued me was his work setting up the Fab Lab network with the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT. The theory behind this is to bring industrial grade digital fabrication tools into the classroom. He believes that eventually these tools will be more miniaturized, at home, or more common to every day use. Think like how the computer became cheaper to use and currently think of products like the idea of the MakerBot.
Now while I have been job hunting I have interviewed for a few Fab Lab jobs and seen their schools and equipment. The SVHEC makes the Fab Lab look puny! It even makes elite schools like the ones I have attended pathetic! The children at this center have no idea how lucky they are!
I was fascinated by how the SVHEC lets high school students enroll for 2 years in their program with the option to continue there for a community college degree or take a certificate. Additionally, students can come there for a two year degree through the local community college and attend a four year state university at the end if they decide to. I really think this kind of program and exposure needs to be replicated across the country. This place will have national attention soon! Mark my word!
What I am most proud of the SVHEC is showing students other fields they can pursue. It gives merit to our fellow craftsmen and craftswomen of the country. The center also does something unlike other places by teaching entrepreneurship. The students get to collaborate with various departments across the SVHEC from making business cards, websites, promotional materials, business plans, to figuring out how to mass produce it. They can even see industry research projects going on at the center and learn from professionals in their fields. While I was visiting they were showing trophies and clocks they were making and designing for professional clients so the students could learn about running a business.
I believe the United States is founded on teaching creativity through programs like this. Memorizing facts on a standardized test will not get us ahead of the world. We need to teach our students to become entrepreneurs and disruptive innovators if we want to stay ahead in the world and modernize further.
I give the SVHEC a 10 out 10 star rating and I hope they could employee me in the future! I have so many ideas to make this place famous. They said they have grants coming in April and may have an opening in May/June for me. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
P.S. – The history of Uniblox will be coming soon!