Elizabeth Adams – McHenry County College, Engineering Science (AS) & Manufacturing Engineering (BS) 

SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT

-          Chicago District: $1,500

-          PMA Educational Foundation: $750

-          Total: $2,250

Elizabeth is an aspiring manufacturing and engineering student working toward a career in drafting and CNC programming. She has been exposed to the manufacturing industry throughout her life through her grandmother, who worked on an assembly line for 40 years, and her parents, who support shop floor operations. This personal connection to the field, combined with technical drawing classes in high school, sparked her interest in pursuing a manufacturing career.

In high school, Elizabeth took classes in technical drawing and drafting, which allowed her to explore manufacturing concepts and gain a deeper appreciation for the industry and its career paths. With both talent and passion for drafting, she continued her education with 3D fabrication and CAD classes that demonstrated the practical applications of design in manufacturing.

Elizabeth completed two internships using CAD software at manufacturing plants, where she applied her skills in real-world settings and experienced firsthand what it would be like to work in the field. Furthering her job experience, she has worked at Scot Forge for the past two summers, expanding her skills by contributing to the drafting and CNC programming teams supporting shop floor operations.

She plans to continue her education at McHenry County College, studying engineering science and manufacturing engineering. Despite challenges adjusting to a new environment while managing autism, Elizabeth feels at home in her classes and looks forward to a future in the manufacturing industry.