The SPE Foundation Is Bringing 3D Printing to Schools With “Print the Future”

We have heard it time and time again: children are our future. The tools and knowledge that we give to students plays a direct role in shaping them and thus humanity, which is why education is so important. This is especially critical for manufacturing fields like 3D printing. For a long time, the industry has been working to overcome barriers to entry due to a lack of educated technicians and practitioners in the sector, an issue that is reflected in many other fields. We sat down with the SPE Foundation, which is dedicated to addressing issues such as these, to talk with them about their work and especially their new “Print the Future” campaign, which you can donate to directly HERE.

3DN: Could you introduce the SPE Foundation and the “Print the Future” campaign?

The SPE Foundation’s mission was established in 1977 with a mission to support workplace development in the plastics industry. This is done by funding quality educational programs, grants and scholarships that emphasize science, engineering and sustainability. The foundation also works to create inclusive opportunities for students around the world.

Students worldwide benefit from programs from the SPE Foundation (photo credits: SPE Foundation)

One way that this is done is with the 3D Printer Grant program. In 2024, twenty-one 3D printers were awarded to middle and high schools across the US and Canada, benefiting over 3,100 students. This is more than three times the number of 3D printers we donated in 2023, and the interest has only been increasing. Grant applications have been piling up, showing the excitement that schools have for this technology. But right now, the budget cannot meet the demand.