ECCF grant awarded to SMASD for Mastercam software

The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Fund, administered by the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF), awarded a grant for $9,300 to the St. Marys Area School District (SMASD) for the purchase of Mastercam software.

There is a nation-wide shortage of skilled workers, and one of the SMASD goals is to create career-ready young adults to take advantage of and help fill that gap. This software is the same software that is used in industry. Exposure to and experience with this will be very advantageous for students when they enter the workforce. It will enhance their employability and will diminish the time required for them to become fully productive employees.

Mastercam is Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, one of the most prevalent computer aided manufacturing software programs found in classrooms from high schools to vocational schools. Computer Aided Manufacturing software is used to translate Computer Aided Design (CAD) files to usable Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machining. CNC machines allow for the production of high complexity parts, in a fraction of the time, while also heavily ruling out the factor of human error.

In Elk County, industry varies from powdered metal, metal fabrication, 3D printing, and 3D injection molding. Mastercam will provide the Career Technical Education students with real-world knowledge that is applicable to every single aspect of industrial manufacturing. It will expose our students to a well-known system that is relied upon by multiple companies in different fields of manufacturing.

The Elk County Community Foundation provides the administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes, while improving the quality of life in our communities. Funds established by charitable donors support our communities through the awarding of grants and scholarships.

The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. For more information, please contact the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125.