Students at Allendale Middle School piloted the program that is expanding across the country this fall
Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All (MEERA) successfully launched the first-of-its-kind Junior Technician Caliper Certification in spring 2026. Allendale Middle School piloted the program, and 181 sixth-grade students earned the Junior Technician Caliper Certification from Mitutoyo America. The certificate represents mastering the foundational skills for digital calipers, introducing students to the tool while also creating a step toward a potential career path in engineering or the skilled trades. The certification opportunity will roll out to more than 8,500 MEERA students in Michigan during the 2026-27 school year.
The junior technicians mastered foundational skills related to digital calipers, learning a skillset that can build into a career in engineering or skilled trades. Precision measurement is taught as part of metrology, one of eight disciplines students are exposed to in the MEERA program. Students also experience additive manufacturing, CNC machining, electronics, manufacturing engineering, non-destructive testing, robotics, welding and workplace readiness. The Junior Technician Caliper Certification is the first in a series of junior certifications that will build toward industry-recognized credentials. For educators, the certification reflects a broader shift in how students are learning to think about their futures.
“The preconceived notion that you have to go to college to earn a lot of money is one of the things that we’re breaking down,” said Shawn McMaster, middle school teacher and MEERA instructor at Allendale Middle School. “Instead, we talk about paths to success and the importance of learning and certifications on that journey. The junior caliper certification is proof of this concept in action as these students can choose to pursue a new path that connects to jobs and industry right here in Michigan.”
“The program is exploratory and gives students a sense of what’s possible in career and technical education futures,” said Garth Cooper, superintendent of Allendale Public Schools. “The MEERA program opens up doors for students who probably wouldn’t have walked through them in previous years. Prior to MEERA, our students were somewhat limited in their ability to explore different careers, and now they can see the outcome of their effort.”
For TECHnista, the organization behind MEERA, the certification is designed to be more than a classroom milestone.
“The Junior Technician Certification provides students with a meaningful, tangible achievement that they can carry with them long-term,” TECHnista founder and CEO Kelsey Robertson said. “It not only reflects their technical competency but also serves as a lasting symbol of their participation and success within the MEERA program and the impact of strong technology partnerships.”
The connection between industry and the classroom is one that school administrators have watched take shape.
“The MEERA program springboards us into conversations about what happens after high school,” said Travis Plain, principal at Allendale Middle School. “We can have conversations about engineering and manufacturing, what people do with these degrees and what work looks like once certifications are received. Our parents and industry partners are excited to see their fields represented in the classroom, creating a broader connection to industry and workforce in our community.”
The pilot at Allendale Middle School reflects growing efforts nationwide to introduce students to manufacturing pathways earlier through industry-aligned credentials and hands-on technical education, including the Department of War’s Build Freedom initiative, which is launching in Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania. TECHnista, creator of the MEERA program, is a key performer of Build Freedom and is supporting the efforts through the expansion of MEERA Middle School and MEERA High School. More than 18,000 students are expected to be enrolled this coming fall in Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Hawaii, Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama and Guam as a part of the Build Freedom initiative.