NIMS Releases Industry-First CAM Standards

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS; Fairfax, Virginia) has released the first-ever industry CAM standards, according to the organization. These standards, with guidance from Autodesk Inc., are designed to enhance education and training programs to meet 21^st-century demands for skilled CAM programmers, designers and engineers. 

The standards were developed over the course of a yearlong, nationwide validation process involving more than 125 subject matter experts from companies who use a variety of CAM software. According to NIMS, the standards define the competencies and skills expected by the industry for entry-level CAM positions.

According to James Wall, NIMS executive director, over one million jobs in the next decade will require the technical skills needed to operate CAM software

NIMS and Autodesk will continue to support the advancement of CAM training programs by developing industry credentials for educating and training CAM programmers. To develop these credentials, industry leaders will participate in work groups and provide their expertise. NIMS will conduct a rigorous development and pilot process before releasing the credentials to the public.