A high school in Latvia is the first in the Baltic region to open a Makerbot Lab, where students have access to nine desktop 3D printers.

3D printing offers a multitude of ways for kids to learn in a more enjoyable and interactive way. According to leading economists, 65% of young people in education today will work in jobs which are currently unheard of.

Therefore, the rise of maker labs in schools is a sign that teachers and parents recognise the importance of technology in learning. As Makerbot expands their Innovation Centers into Europe, they’re also taking their first steps into the Baltic states.

The first Makerbot Lab has just opened in Rainis Secondary School No.6, a high school in Liepāja, Latvia. This school now has the most advanced modeling, scanning and 3D printing lab specifically for education in the whole of the Baltic states.

So far, the maker lab has two haptic devices for CAD, two 3D scanners, and a whopping nine MakerBot 3D printers. Kārlis Strautiņš, the school director, explains:

“By offering 3D printers in our school, we expect to increase student interest in the sciences and technical drawing. We’ll be able to offer training that starts with digital modeling and ends with a physical object.”

3D Printing in Latvia with Makerbot Lab

During the opening ceremony of the new Makerbot lab, Valentin Storz, General Manager of MakerBot Europe, explained how important it is for education to keep up with developments in technology.

As well as both students and faculty members, Baltic3D was also at the event. This company are a Latvian 3D printing company and also the local MakerBot reseller.

Baltic3D representative Didzis Dejus also made a bold prediction:

“Within five years, most of the world’s schools will have a 3D printer – but in that five years, some schools will emerge as being especially good at integrating the technology into the educational process and curriculum.”

Want to find out more about Makerbot’s work in education? Check out their work in New Jersey and also head to their website.

Source: Makerbot