Letting students take control of the CNC machine for the first time each semester can be terrifying enough if they were paying attention to your wise words of caution, but we all know some of them weren’t taking studious notes. An easy way to save your machine and nerves is to give your students forgiving workpieces, like machinist wax, wood, or plastic, but that’s not always the best solution.

It’s undeniable that education is vital to the advancement of both individuals and civilizations, and with each passing generation (each passing year, even), being educated is becoming more prevalent to success. Some would even argue that it is essential for survival. But, the landscape of education is changing – it has been for some time now. Jobs that had previously been considered “unskilled labor,” now require a 2- or 4-year degree, at a minimum.