Built on their interests. Held to industry standards.
ProFAB Education is a Louisiana nonprofit that teaches young people to design and build on the same laser cutters, 3D printers and software that industry uses. We bring projects to K–12 schools and community organizations, host workshops for families, and provide work-based learning for teens and young adults through The QA, our Fabrication Crew.
ProFAB Education helps young people use the fabrication process to fuel their passion and gain the skills to find their path. Building on their joy of making, we teach them to take command of professional machinery while reinforcing critical science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.
It started with kids and a "cool laser cutter."
For years, we watched young people light up as their ideas came to life on real machines, and we kept asking: what if that spark could lead somewhere? What if it could become a skill, a portfolio, a career?
In June 2024, after nearly a decade of talking about it, we founded ProFAB Education to build that path.
We believe laser cutters, CNC machines, 3D printers, and tools are no different than pencils, scissors, and crayons.
- Start with their ideas. Young people learn best when they're building something they care about.
- Use real tools. The same machines and software that industry uses, held to the same standards.
- Build confidence that lasts. Every project teaches STEM, problem-solving and an entrepreneurial mindset, and ends with something they can hold.
17 mobile workshop visits at 13 sites, and counting. See the route →
Industry expertise meets youth development
Luella Provenza
The Strategist · Co-Founder & Executive DirectorMSc, Social Development & Health, Queen Margaret UniversityLuella has spent her career in after-school and summer programs, where she believes the real magic of youth development happens. Over ten years with a national youth development organization, she helped connect nearly 100,000 young people in 10 cities with mentors, partnering with funders like AmeriCorps, Nike, and Major League Baseball. She later served as Chief Impact Officer at Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sam Provenza
The Fabricator · Co-Founder & Director of FabricationBFA, Furniture Design & Sculpture, Savannah College of Art and DesignSam brings more than 17 years of manufacturing experience to every ProFAB Education project. In 2016, he designed and launched the Delgado Community College Fab Lab, where New Orleans students came to know him as "Mr. Sam, the guy who helps us build cool things." He later designed the Scale Innovations manufacturing studio with support from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation, and built a competency-based internship program for young people there. Today he also runs ProFabrication, LLC, a separate Louisiana advanced manufacturing service bureau.
Together, they bring industry expertise and youth development experience to every project.
Alex Tillings
Partner, Leake & Andersson
Nate LeJeune
Vice President of Programs, Coach Across America
Gerald Williams
Founder & CEO, Excite Allstars
ProFAB Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 99-3700260. It is a separate organization from ProFabrication, LLC.
Candid · Gold Transparency 20254836 Revere Ave, Suite F · Baton Rouge, LA 70808
hey@profabed.org
What to know about The QA
The QA gives your teen hands-on training on professional tools, guided by mentors who work in the industry, with a stipend for their time. Here's how we keep it safe and keep you informed.
Safety & supervision
Two adults are always in the room. Sessions happen in public spaces, like library makerspaces, or at your teen's own school.
Who works with your teen
Mentors are chosen for their industry skills and their experience working with young people. Every adult who works directly with youth completes a background check.
Permission & consent
If your teen is under 18, we contact you before they start. You'll sign a participation form, an emergency contact form, and a media release.
Photos & media
We take photos and videos of youth at work to share what they make. You can opt out on the media release.
Getting there
We offer a transportation stipend to help your teen get to and from sessions.
The stipend
High school interns receive at least $1,500 per term, and schedules follow Louisiana's rules for students under 18. Stipends arrive twice a month, on the 15th and the last working day, by direct deposit or a reloadable card.
Staying in the loop
You're invited to a family showcase to see what your teen designed and built.
Questions?
Email hey@profabed.org. At orientation, you'll get a direct contact for your teen's program.