Students

The GCAMP 2026 Outstanding Manufacturing Student Awards celebrate more than technical skill—they recognize perseverance, leadership, and a deep commitment to building the future of manufacturing. 

This year’s program showcased an extraordinary group of students whose achievements demonstrate the strength and promise of our regional talent pipeline. From high school labs to college classrooms and real-world shop floors, each applicant represents the innovation, precision, and work ethic that define modern manufacturing.

Manufacturing is built on relationships. Leaders in industry focus on one thing above all else: your professional brand. But where do you start to build that?  How do you get your brand in front of people who make hiring decisions? The answer: LinkedIn. 

If you’re early in your career, LinkedIn can feel like a weird mix of job board, social media site and advertising space. That is ok! Now is the time to learn the basics, which can help you develop this tool into a real driver of change. You do not need to be an influencer, you just need to have a strategy!

Illinois manufacturers have a lot to be proud of—and a lot to look forward to. The next generation is showing growing interest in manufacturing, engineering, technology, and the trades (METT). But they need your help to turn that interest into real career paths.

Launching a High School Internship Program

One of the most common misconceptions in manufacturing today is that companies can only hire legal adults, or individuals over the age of 18.  Many manufacturers are hesitant to hire 16- and 17-year-olds.  Not only is this young adult population hirable, but they are also some of the most eager workers, in need of guidance to begin their manufacturing careers.

In celebration of Manufacturing Month, Northern Kane County Region 110 joined forces with the Alignment Collaborative for Education, school districts 300, 301, 303, U-46, the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Industrial Committee, and the Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (GCAMP) to spotlight the dynamic manufacturing industry in the Fox Valley region. What began three years ago with a small group of students from St.

The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), the largest and longest-running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States, was held September 9–14, at McCormick Place in Chicago. This biennial event is a premier opportunity for industry leaders to explore cutting-edge innovations, engage in professional networking, and participate in a variety of educational workshops.

For the second year in a row, GCAMP hosted summer manufacturing tours for young people in the Chicagoland area. Our 60+ tour participants included students, parents, teachers, and counselors, 

Hampshire High School teacher, Jonathan Weger, knew the right steps to take to make a huge impact with his students this year – give students knowledge, combine it with hands-on experiences, apply it to real-world scenarios, and watch the learning grow. 

GCAMP is a proud 2023 sponsor of various community programs, including several robotics teams.  One of those teams is composed of five middle- school students: the self-dubbed Team Marshmallow Menagerie.

October has been declared in the State of Illinois as Manufacturing Month, with the first Friday in October (October 7th this year), as Manufacturing Day. There is no better way to participate than to open your doors to students and schools in your local area. Show them what makes your company great and give them a reason to choose manufacturing as their career pathway. Get the students interested.