NIMS Student Skills Center Details

Meet representatives from major industry employers and STEM educators to talk one-on-one about skills, technology, and life-long career paths. View a complete list of exhibitors below.

Arriving at the Student Skills Center

Groups may be dropped off at Gate 21 of the North Building at McCormick Place. From there a Skills Center representative will personally escort attendees from the curb to the main event in Exhibit Hall C1 of the North Building where groups may visit exhibitors and retrieve entry badges to the main show floor of IMTS.

Driving Directions, Car Parking, and School Bus Parking Information

Student Skills Center Hours

The NIMS Student Skills Center will be open Monday, Sept. 10 – Saturday, Sept. 15 from 9am until 2pm. Attendees must visit the Student Skills Area before 2pm in order to visit student-oriented exhibitors and to retrieve entry badges to the main show floor of IMTS.

Attendees may explore the rest of IMTS during the following hours:

East & West Halls: 9am – 5pm daily
North & South Halls: 10am – 6pm daily

College students who are attending individually may retrieve entry badges at any IMTS kiosk. This applies to college students who registered to attend without a class group.

Exhibits in the Student Skills Center

This year's group of participating companies are bringing not-to-be-missed exhibits, so be sure to plan to spend up to an hour inside the Skills Center before exploring the main show floor of IMTS. Exhibits include:

  • 3D Systems
    Live demonstrations of 3D printing technology
  • American Welding Society
    Featuring the AWS Careers in Welding Trailer where attendees can test the VRTEX 360 virtual reality welding training system.
  • BobCAD-CAM, Inc.
    CAD/CAM design skills challenge to include prize giveaways.
  • Calculated Industries
    Exhibiting the MachinistCalc Pro, attendees can try hands-on calculator demos and pit their skills against the tool.
  • City Colleges of Chicago
    College 2 Careers programs, featuring a tabletop CNC lath with CAD/CAM system for attendees to design and make parts, plus hands-on metrology projects.
  • DMG Mori Seiki
    Hands-on "app" style software demonstrations for attendees.
  • The Edge Factor
    The up and coming production company will broadcast their Chilean Miner Rescue episode in a theater environment, with an actual capsule from the rescue mission present at the Skills Center.
  • EMAG L.L.C.
  • FANUC FA America
    Live CNC demos.
  • FANUC Robotics America
    Showcase of up to four robotic education demos to include the FANUC M-1iA and LR Mate 200iC robots, ROBOGUIDE simulation software, force sensing, and iRVision.
  • Gateway Technical Community College
    Featuring videos, hands-on Pascal's Law activities, trivia giveaways, and more.
  • Haas Automation, Inc. HTEC Network
    Teaming with Vincennes University, Haas will feature live simulators and a variety of CNC-made parts.
  • Immersive Engineering, Inc.
    Interact with a demo of virtual machining in a "flight simulator" type system.
  • Industrial Press, Inc.
  • Mastercam/CNC Software
    Videos, software demos, and student design opportunities.
  • Mazak Corporation
  • Mitutoyo America Corporation
    Hands-on demos of digital micrometers.
  • National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc.
  • OMAX Corporation
    Software demos and hands-on programming opportunities.
  • Sandvik Coromant, Inc.
    Featuring a variety of parts, giveaways, and staff to speak with attendees.
  • Seco Tools, Inc.
    Interactive iPad learning display, plus trivia and giveaways.
  • Siemens PLM Software - GO PLM
    Interactive Product Life Cycle where attendees model an aircraft, with winning design receiving a prize.
  • Southwestern Industries
    Display featuring live demos of a TRAK K3 EMX CNC knee mill.
  • Symbol Job Training, Inc.
    Live simulator demonstrators, plus videos.
  • Vincennes University
    Teaming with Haas Automation HTEC Network, Vincenees U. will feature live simulators and a variety of CNC-made parts.

Daily Raffle, Prizes, and Resume-Drop Box

As in 2008 and 2010, the Student Skills Center will feature a daily raffle for various exhibitor-provided prizes, career profiles, and a resume-drop box.  Students may enter the daily raffle contests while at the Skills Center.  Career profiles will be available to view at the NIMS booth and throughout the Skills Center.  Students are encouraged to bring a resume for the Resume-Drop Box.  These resumes will be distributed to several companies at IMTS to provide employers with a sneak preview of the incoming workforce.  Participation in the Resume-Drop Box does not guarantee a call, interview, or job offer.

Orientation Program, Provided by Sandvik Coromant & NIMS:

Upon arrival, all visitors to the NIMS Student Skills Center will attend a brief Orientation Program provided by Sandvik Coromant and NIMS, the National Institute for Metalworking Skills. This 10-15 minute program will welcome visitors to the Student Skills Center and to IMTS, provide an overview of what to expect and where to go, and show a brief video connecting advanced manufacturing, STEM education, and everyday life. Orientation Programs will be conducted on an ongoing schedule in order to keep no visitor waiting more than five minutes to be admitted to the Orientation Theater, located in the Student Skills Center area inside the North Building’s Exhibit Hall C1.

View video from the 2010 Student Summit

View the Photos from the NIMS Student Summit at IMTS 2010.

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