• PMA Educational Foundation: $500
• Chicago District: $1,000
• Total: $1,500

Elizabeth Adams has spent most of her life hearing stories about manufacturing. Her grandmother worked on the line at Caterpillar for 40 years, and her parents have spent their careers in manufacturing. Elizabeth’s first hands-on experience began her freshman year in high school through a technical design class, where she learned how to build shapes and designs on the computer and was exposed to the different manufacturing careers. 

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Elizabeth took an entry-level CAD class. Then following her junior year, she took CAD 2 and CAD 3. In these classes Elizabeth learned Autodesk and 2D plan images. In her senior year, she learned digital fabrication, 3D modeling, and the application of using 3D modeling and printing for a shop floor. 

This past summer, Elizabeth had the opportunity to help at Scot Forge in the Continuous Improvement Department, where she learned how to document processes and create training programs for the operators. Elizabeth enjoys being presented with an issue and then working with a team to figure out a solution. 

Some of Elizabeth’s current goals are to attend McHenry County College (MCC) and get her associate degree in mechanical engineering. She then plans to transfer to Northern Illinois University (NIU) to complete her B.S. in Engineering Technology with an emphasis in Mechanical Engineering. Once Elizabeth graduates, she would love to get a job as a manufacturing engineer. 

Elizabeth is an ambitious student, and we wish her the best! Congratulations, Elizabeth!