Don Rauf - Careers in Machine Maintenance

CHAPTER ONE

MASTERING SKILLS THROUGH MAKING

M akerspaces are busy hives of production and activity. They make learning fun because you are actually constructing something and can see the end results. Students find makerspace programs in their schools, local libraries, colleges, churches, and community centers. In a sense, makerspaces are an evolution from the electric shops, wood shops, and automotive classes that more high schools once offered.

Sometimes, makerspaces are set up by nonprofit organizations or funded by private industry. At Familab in Longwood, Floridanot far from Disney Worldyoung people are busy soldering and building circuitry. Sector67 in Madison, Wisconsin has students constructing their own flashlights and voice-activated LED lighting. Using programming, welding, and all sorts of electronics, the kids at Vocademy in Riverside, California, whip up all manner of robots. For careers in machine maintenance, you have

to understand the nuts and bolts of how things work, and thats exactly what these makerspaces do.

Like many makerspaces across the country, the Mt. Elliott Makerspace in Detroit gives children and teens the tools, guidance, and space to make things with their own two hands.

If you cant find a makerspace near you, you can always try to set up one on your own. Makerspaces.com and other websites provide many tips. A student may first want to inquire with their school administration to see what might be possible. A basic space will be equipped with electrical outlets, big empty tables where students can work, and a place to store tools and supplies. (First aid kits should always be on the premises as well!)

TOOLS AND TEACHERS

Markerspaces need to offer a variety of tools. Some are very simple and more craft-oriented with just scissors, glue, cardboard, and various art supplies. The ones that give skills for machine maintenance will have more advanced items. These may include batteries, copper foil tape (for learning about circuitry), LED lights, and circuits.

Many of these spaces, like the Artisans Asylum, in Somerville, Massachusetts, are dedicated to fabrication, which is the act and process of manufacturing or inventing something. You could call it making something from scratch. Metal fabrication is the construction of metal items by means of cutting, bending, and assembling, and its often taught at makerspaces. Because machines and their parts are almost always made of metal, future maintenance techs and engineers can benefit from these programs.

A key ingredient for any makerspace is usually experienced staff, who can teach how to use all the tools to build the items. While experts are great to teach others, John Spencer, who has written a few articles on makerspaces, said on Medium.com that teachers dont have to know how to do everything in the makerspace. They can learn as they go along with the students, and they dont necessarily need the latest cutting edge equipment. Spencer joined forces with a teacher and together they learned Linux, hacked old computers, and got them working again. This was knowledge they could now share with students. As Spencer points out, limitations can be opportunities to innovate.