Blue Collar 101: Precision & Power in Machine Tooling & Modern Manufacturing

FREE to the public
REGISTRATION REQUIRED

This event is held in national solidarity with National Manufacturing Day (MFG Day)

What actually allows the modern physical world to be built with sub-thousandth-of-an-inch precision? Who engineers the complex CNC machines, integrates cutting-edge automation, programs the robotics, and maintains the industrial equipment that powers everything from aerospace and medical devices to automotive technology and green energy?

For this special edition of Blue Collar 101 in recognition of National Manufacturing Day, we are bringing together application engineers, automation specialists, and industry experts from Sudbury-headquartered Methods Machine Tools, Inc. Panelists will walk us through what the field of precision manufacturing actually looks like today: the mechanics of advanced CNC machining, the integration of robotics on the shop floor, the rigorous quality tolerances required for high-stakes industries, and the diverse career pathways into this high-tech workforce. It is a story with deep local roots - this is where the legendary Waltham Watch Company first pioneered precision machining at factory scale, establishing a legacy of micro-tolerances that continues in modern CNC manufacturing today.

We will also hear from representatives of Career and Technical Education programs in Massachusetts that help high school students gain experience and skills that set them up for success in the industrial and machining space.

This panel conversation is for the general public, students, educators, and anyone curious about the skilled engineering and advanced manufacturing that drives our domestic supply chains. Expect a wide-ranging discussion of how raw metal becomes high-precision components, how trade expertise pairs with modern software, and how American manufacturing is evolving through automation and next-generation skilled labor.

Blue Collar 101 is a public education series based at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation. At a moment when conversations about workforce development and the future of work often happen without workers in the room, this program starts from a different premise: the people who build, maintain, and repair the physical world are experts, and their knowledge deserves a public platform.

This event is held in national solidarity with National Manufacturing Day (MFG Day), an initiative to shift perceptions of modern manufacturing and inspire the next generation of creators, innovators, and skilled tradespeople.

Blue Collar 101 lectures at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation are free and open to the public and are made possible by the generous support of the Lowell Institute.