COMMUNITY PROGRAMS | FAB LAB

FAB LAB INTERNSHIPS

Beginning in 2018, Haystack established a paid internship program for area high school students. Fab Lab interns are selected from a pool of individuals who have taken part in educational programs with Haystack as middle school students, and are now looking to deepen their knowledge and understanding of design and technology. Interns assist in running the Fab Lab on the Haystack campus, help session participants, and shadow volunteers that oversee the lab - from places like MIT, RISD, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. In addition interns develop independent projects of their own and acquire leadership skills that are transferable to other parts of their lives. Job training and exposure to participants and faculty from across the US and abroad make for a rich and impactful experience. 

The Fab Lab internship is growing into a year-round program, and in response to the coronavirus, interns assisted with the production of over 5,000 items of personal protective equipment. These were all made on site with 3D printers and laser cutters, and donated to more than 60 organizations in our community.

We are now expanding our reach by bringing digital tools into our local community with current and former interns providing technical support and training. A publicly accessible version of the Fab Lab for residents from Deer Isle-Stonington and the greater Blue Hill Peninsula area is now being established at Haystack’s Center for Community Programs in Deer Isle village. This expansion will provide community members with training and access to digital tools, computer programming, engineering, and design for a wide variety of purposes. 

Support for the Fab Lab internship program has been provided by a three-year grant from the Windgate Foundation, and from Bar Harbor Bank and Trust and the Maine Community Foundation.

Please Contact Haystack to learn more about this program