About the Maker Academy
The Maker Academy is a training and professional development program within the Union College Maker Web for our student employees. It offers structured and tiered teaching and training that enables student employees to master the tools and equipment we offer and leverages their hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools focused on Machining, 3D Printing, Digital Fabrication, and Virtual & Augmented Reality. Students build technical skills, gain leadership experience, and collaborate across disciplines. By working directly with industry-leading equipment and collaborating closely with faculty and peers, Maker Academy students develop invaluable real-world skills that enhance their professional growth, resume strength, and career readiness.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STRUCTURE AND MISSION HERE.
*Please note that the Maker Academy is only available to Maker Web Work Study student employees. If you are not a student employee, there are still training resources and certifications available to you. Please submit an inquiry to learn more.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN INQUIRY
Discover Your Potential!
At the Maker Academy, making is more than just building—it’s a mindset of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration that prepares you for real-world challenges. Gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools and technologies, develop problem-solving skills, and build a professional network that will help launch your career. Whether you’re shaping metal, printing 3D objects, cutting precision parts, or creating immersive virtual worlds, the Academy will help you gain professional skills that will help you succeed beyond Union, whether that means pursuing graduate school, securing a research position, or launching a career. The Maker Academy vision is rooted in the belief that applied learning, when guided by structure, mentorship, and real responsibility, fosters not only technical fluency but also personal growth, confidence, and career readiness.
Define Your Focus
The Academy features four specialized areas of focus: Machining, 3D Printing, Digital Fabrication, and Virtual & Augmented Reality. Each area offers a tiered advancement structure—Assistant, Specialist, and Coordinator—that supports progressive skill development, leadership opportunities, and project involvement. These focus areas represent the core domains of applied making and emerging technology practiced in the Maker Web Labs. While each area features its own tools, workflows, and skillsets, they all share a common foundation in hands-on learning, creative problem-solving, and collaborative exploration.
Level Up
Every maker’s journey is unique, so the Maker Academy offers a clear, structured and supportive pathway to learn and grow at your own pace. Students progress through three tiers that are each designed to deepen technical expertise, increase responsibility, and cultivate leadership skills. The Academy’s structured advancement provides clear pathways for professional growth, preparing students for a variety of future careers.
Students begin at the Assistant level, where they build foundational skills, complete safety training, and gain familiarity with key tools and practices. With demonstrated proficiency and initiative, students may advance to the Specialist tier, taking on more complex projects, leading peer instruction, and contributing more heavily to the daily operation of the labs. The highest tier, Coordinator, recognizes individuals who exhibit strong leadership, technical mastery, and the ability to mentor others through challenging and advanced work.
Progression through each tier is guided by a clear set of expectations, including hands-on training, earning equipment operating badges, written and practical assessments, self-directed learning and project execution. This structured training and mentorship ultimately leads to certifications across various tools and technologies, culminating in valuable micro-credentials.
