From June 22-26 in Denmark, a group of machining students will spend part of their summer doing something most people probably would not expect.
Instead of taking time off, they will immerse themselves in advanced CAM programming, machining strategies, problem-solving, and long evenings discussing production ideas with other young people who share the same passion.
And perhaps that says something important about the future of manufacturing.
Because SummerCAMp was never created to be an ordinary training course.
It was created around a simple question:
What happens when talented students are finally given room to go beyond the curriculum?
A different kind of learning environment
Across technical schools, there is naturally a strong focus on helping students who struggle and making sure everyone reaches the required level.
But what about the students who are already ahead of the curve?
The students who stay after class to test another machining strategy. The ones who genuinely enjoy discussing toolpaths. The ones who want to understand not just how something works but why.
According to Hasse Dahl-Sørensen, SolidCAM Sales Manager at PLM Group, those students are often missing opportunities designed specifically for them:
“We’ve built this SummerCAMp to try and give something to the students who have the skills and the passion for the industry to really bring their passion to the next level.”
That idea became the foundation for SummerCAMp.
An intensive week where ambitious machining students work with advanced SolidCAM strategies, real machining challenges, and industry professionals. All while also gaining the freedom to experiment in ways they rarely can during everyday education or production work.
There are no step-by-step guides.
Students are encouraged to think independently, test ideas, make mistakes, optimise, and try again. The goal is not simply to complete tasks. It is to build confidence, curiosity, and technical maturity.
“Education should never be within limited boundaries, it should be a space with endless possibilities for those, who strive for greatness and improvement,” Hasse concludes.
Becoming part of a talent community
At SummerCAMp, students work hands-on with technologies such as 5-axis machining and mill-turn operations while programming and testing their own solutions on real machines.
But the technical aspect is only part of the experience.
One of the strongest themes from last year’s pilot programme was the sense of community that emerged between students from different schools, backgrounds, and even countries.
The students immediately pulled each other into the group. They spent evenings together, discussed machining strategies late into the night, and built connections that extended far beyond the workshop.
“The connections and the references they get from joining this SummerCAMp is really something they will be able to use in the future in this market,” Hasse explains.
That combination of technical immersion and social connection is a big part of what makes the concept unique.
Because manufacturing is not only built on machines and software.
It is built on people.
Developing skills that will make a difference
SummerCAMp is ultimately about more than CAM software.
It is about what happens when schools, industry, and technology partners invest together in young people who are eager to learn.
Schools gain the opportunity to offer ambitious students access to advanced technologies and learning experiences that go beyond the standard curriculum. Students gain advanced technical skills, stronger confidence, and valuable industry connections. Employers gain motivated apprentices with broader perspectives and stronger capabilities.
And perhaps most importantly, the industry gains young professionals who are genuinely excited about manufacturing.
As Anders Vange Friis, CAM Business Director at PLM Group, explains:
“By giving the young students the best technology available on the market, we’re making sure they develop in the right direction.”
That long-term perspective sits at the heart of SummerCAMp.
Not simply teaching students how to use software. But helping shape the next generation of manufacturing talent.
Taking the next step with SummerCAMp
What started as a pilot project has already grown into something bigger.
The ambition is clear: To continue developing SummerCAMp across the Nordics and Baltics, creating opportunities for more schools, more students, and stronger collaboration across the industry.
Because when talented young people are challenged, supported, and inspired, remarkable things tend to happen.
There is also something powerful about the fact that SummerCAMp is voluntary. Students choose to spend part of their summer here.
For Michal Ševčík, Global Education Manager at SolidCAM Ltd., that says a lot about the participants themselves:
“All of the participants on this SummerCAMp are above average. They are excellent, and we want the best.”
He also sees the Danish initiative as something much bigger than a local educational event.
“The potential of SolidCAM SummerCAMp in Denmark is a huge inspiration for all our resellers and subsidiaries globally.”
That perspective reflects a broader ambition shared by both SolidCAM and PLM Group: Creating environments where young talent is inspired to grow, challenge themselves, and stay engaged in the manufacturing industry.
Because attracting the next generation is not only about offering technology.
It is about creating experiences worth being part of.
Curious about SolidCAM for Education?
Schools get free SolidCAM licenses, ressources, training and support to educate students in best-in-class CAM – and prepare them for their future in the manufacturing industry.
SummerCAMp is created by PLM Group in collaboration with educational institutions and industry partners.
Every day, we work to develop the manufacturing environments of tomorrow – and that starts with the people who will run them.
