Stratasys Joins SME's Bright Minds Educational Program to Develop Future Careers in Additive Manufacturing

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Stratasys Ltd. SSYS, a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, has joined SME's Bright Minds as a program partner for three industry events to help develop and enhance future careers in additive manufacturing. The first event is May 13 at EASTEC in West Springfield, Massachusetts, followed by RAPID and SOUTH-TEC.

The Bright Minds program gives students the opportunity to learn about additive manufacturing through lectures, workshops, panel discussions and various hands-on challenges. Program participants will also be introduced to educational and career opportunities in additive manufacturing.

"Stratasys is proud to be sponsoring Bright Minds for the fifth year in a row," said Sig Behrens, general manager of global education at Stratasys. "This program provides young students the opportunity to learn about 3D printing and its many capabilities. We believe that 3D printing is changing the way things are made. We have a core focus on inspiring and recruiting as many young people as possible to learn the skills of the future that employers are looking for. Programs like this are key to building that pipeline of talent."

Bright Minds is an educational program created by Society of Manufacturing Engineers for high school and college students, educators, and administrators to support the future of manufacturing careers. Each Bright Minds event enhances the collaboration with manufacturing leaders and combines workshops with hands-on challenges to give participants the necessary tools to prepare them for future career challenges.

"Bright Minds creates an environment for students and educators to connect with industry leaders and experience technology innovations firsthand," said Dolores Nixon, member and industry relations manager for Bright Minds. "As one of the program partners for all 2015 Bright Minds events, Stratasys provides the education and technology resources that enable students to move beyond the classroom."

For more information about the Bright Minds program, visit its website.

Stratasys Ltd. SSYS, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions. The company's patented FDM^® and PolyJet™ 3D Printing technologies produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape, and the company operates the digital parts manufacturing service, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing. Stratasys has more than 2,800 employees, holds over 600 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com

Stratasys is a registered trademark of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

About SME
SME connects those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry. Follow SME on Twitter or Facebook.

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