The charitable foundation of FMA is helping young people explore their potential for a future career in manufacturing. Since 1990, Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs (NBT) has awarded scholarships to students majoring in programs that would develop them into members of the manufacturing workforce.  

As the first step in FMA’s Workforce Lifecycle concept, attracting new minds to manufacturing careers is at the core of what we do. The mission of NBT makes this clear; 

“Our purpose is to support individuals in discovering their interest in manufacturing and to encourage the pursuit of a manufacturing career.” 

By attracting, developing, and supporting the workforce of tomorrow we ensure a prosperous future for our industry.  

The foundation of FMA offers manufacturing camps for younger students and a variety of manufacturing scholarships for two and four-year programs that lead to careers in manufacturing at higher educational levels. This is how we do our part to attract a next generation workforce. 

We have celebrated our community leaders with the NBT Gala Awards in October and shared the stories of our educators and scholarship winners here in the blog over the last few weeks. As the year comes to a close, we look back with pride on all that we have accomplished together as an industry and as a community.  

The students who participate in our programs and the scholars who receive our awards to help their education have even returned to show us the amazing things they’re doing in the world. As they take the next step into the development stage of their careers, we wish them well and hope they keep in touch. Thank you for supporting them through your many gifts, your social engagement, and your support of NBT and it’s mission. 
 
Each year at this time, we ask our metal fabrication and manufacturing communities to consider us in holiday gift-giving. It is through the generous giving of our partners, sponsors, and donors like you that we are able to offer these resources to young people and further support them in careers within the manufacturing workforce. From all of our staff here at FMA and NBT, have a very merry holiday and a happy New Year.