Mastercam Partners with camInstructor® to Develop the Next Generation of CNC Programmers

New partnership addresses the manufacturing skills gap by bundling classroom-ready curriculum into the Mastercam Educational Suite at no additional cost to educators

TOLLAND, Conn., April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mastercam, the world's most widely used CAM software and part of Sandvik Manufacturing Solutions, today announced a new partnership with camInstructor to bundle classroom-ready curriculum directly with Mastercam Educational Suite. Effective immediately, educational institutions purchasing the Educational Suite and existing education customers on Mastercam CONNECT will receive camInstructor 101 at no additional cost, providing step-by-step lesson plans, project-based instruction, and complete teacher resources alongside Mastercam software.

The partnership addresses a persistent challenge in CNC and CAM education: schools have access to professional-grade software, but instructors are often left to build their own lesson plans, source their own instructional materials, and adapt generic content for the classroom. The result is wasted time, inconsistent instruction, and slower student outcomes.

"Educators have been telling us the same thing for years, they need more than software. They need a teaching solution," said Clint Smith, Mastercam's Senior Education Specialist. "By bundling camInstructor 101 into the Educational Suite, we're giving instructors everything they need to start teaching Mastercam on day one. No hunting for curriculum. No building lessons from scratch. Just a proven, project-based program ready to go."

What's Included

The camInstructor 101 bundle includes instructional content covering both CNC Mill and Lathe programming packages, with lesson plans, instructional presentations, step-by-step instructions, complete part files, practical tests, and additional teacher resources. Students learn by creating real-world parts in Mastercam — building skills that translate directly to careers in manufacturing.

With worldwide availability slated for future development, the current bundle is initially available to U.S.-based education customers purchasing new Mastercam Educational Suite licenses and to customers currently on Mastercam CONNECT. Current off-maintenance education users who renew their Mastercam CONNECT subscriptions will also receive camInstructor 101 as part of their renewal.

"Our mission has always been to make Mastercam education accessible and effective," said Clint Smith. "This partnership puts a camInstructor developed Mastercam curriculum in front of more educators and students than ever before and that means more graduates entering the workforce with the skills manufacturers need."

Mastercam's Commitment to Education

Workforce development is not a side initiative for Mastercam; it is central to the company's mission and has been for more than 40 years.

The U.S. manufacturing sector faces a growing crisis: an estimated 2.1 million manufacturing positions could go unfilled by 2030, and 80% of manufacturers cite workforce attraction and retention as a top challenge. The shortage of skilled CNC programmers and machinists is acute, and the pipeline starts in the classroom.

Mastercam has long invested in building that pipeline. With over 170,000 educational licenses in use worldwide, Mastercam is the industry standard in technical education. Students in community colleges, technical schools, and universities across the globe learn on the same software used by manufacturers in aerospace, medical, automotive, energy, and beyond. When those students graduate, they enter the workforce ready to contribute on day one, and employers can hire with confidence knowing the skills will transfer.

The camInstructor partnership deepens that commitment. Providing educators with structured curriculum alongside industry-standard software means better instruction, stronger student outcomes, and more graduates prepared for careers in advanced manufacturing.

"Closing the skills gap isn't just about getting software into classrooms; it's about giving educators the complete support they need to develop the next generation of manufacturing professionals," said Smith. "This partnership with camInstructor is one more way we're investing in that future."

Mastercam also supports the next generation of manufacturers through long-standing partnerships with SkillsUSA and WorldSkills, providing free software and technical support to students competing in CNC machining competitions at the local, national, and international levels. The company's free Mastercam Learning Edition gives anyone the ability to learn CNC programming at no cost, and Mastercam University offers video-based training to CONNECT subscribers and education customers alike.

Availability

The Mastercam Educational Suite with camInstructor 101 is available now in the United States with worldwide availability planned for later date. For more information, contact your Mastercam representative or visit mastercam.com.

For more information, contact Melanie Frenkel, Sr. Media Director, Berkeley Communications, phone: 760.421.7719, or email: [email protected]. 

About Mastercam

Mastercam, part of Sandvik Group, is the world's leading CAD/CAM software for manufacturing, trusted by over 450,000 installations worldwide. Since 1983, we have empowered shops of every size to tackle the toughest machining challenges—from aerospace breakthroughs to life-saving medical components. With relentless innovation, global support, and a commitment to education, Mastercam transforms complexity into confidence. Mastercam: Challenge Accepted. Discover more at www.mastercam.com, follow us on LinkedIn, and join the conversation with #mastercam.

About camInstructor

camInstructor is an authorized Mastercam Partner specializing in CNC programming education. With over 15 years of experience developing Mastercam training products, camInstructor provides online courses, classroom curriculum, and certification programs for individuals, companies, and educational institutions. For more information, visit caminstructor.com.

SOURCE Mastercam