Contributions from companies and organizations that understand the need to address future engineering workforce issues have allowed the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation’s Gateway Academies to spread across South Carolina.

There will be 20 Gateway Academies taking place throughout the state this summer. A record number of secondary-school students will now have the opportunity to take part in the week-long day camps, which offer hands-on learning experiences involving real-world engineering activities.

The Gateway Academies will take place in the following cities: Anderson, Beaufort, Charleston, Columbia, Darlington, Greenwood, Hanahan, Irmo, Johnston, Mt. Pleasant, Orangeburg, Summerville, Westminster and Williamston.

The companies and organizations that contributed to the programs have been instrumental in supporting manufacturing and manufacturing education in South Carolina. They are: Capsugel (a division of Pfizer), Emerson, Colonial Life, Davis & Floyd, Eaton, Fujifilm, Goodrich, Foundation for a Greater Greenwood and the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance.

Gateway Academies are a collaborative effort between the SME Education Foundation and Project Lead the Way (PLTW). They take place during the summer and are taught by PLTW-certified teachers. The goal of the academies is to encourage more students to participate in PLTW classes and eventually pursue careers in engineering.