Build it. Break it. Make it better.
QA stands for Quality Assurance: the people who make sure things work. The QA is ProFAB Education's hands-on Fabrication Crew designed for high school students and young adults. It empowers young makers, innovators, and designers to gain real-world professional fabrication experience.
Looking for something for younger kids? See family workshops (6+) or bring us to your school (K–12).
- Who
- High school through age 23
- Time
- Varies by role
- Where
- Our shop, the mobile workshop & libraries
- Cost
- Free
- Stipend
- $1,500 to $5,000 per term
- Next cohort
- Announced soon
- Parents & guardians
In manufacturing, QA means Quality Assurance.
They're the people who make sure things work before they go out the door.
In The QA, you do two things. First, you learn by doing that job: you test our workshop projects, figure out what's confusing or what breaks, make them better, and help prepare them for the K–12 workshops we run in schools and community organizations.
Second, you build your own projects in the area you care about most: games and challenges, products to sell, big art, or fixes for your neighborhood. Both teach you something new about design and fabrication.
Our pilot members are already learning and building. Get in early and you could be one of our founding members.
Layanna, an architecture graduate student, trained with us until she could lead the design, testing and production of a full project, Cardboard Swords, Shields & Crowns, now part of our project library.
What's in it for you
- Real machinesTrain on laser cutters and 3D printers, the same tools industry uses.
- Design softwareLearn the programs designers and fabricators use every day.
- A kit to take homeKeep going past your first term and earn a computer, design software, and a 3D printer.
- A portfolioLeave with work to show a college, a trade program, or an employer.
- MentorsLearn from working fabricators, then help teach younger students.
- A stipendYou earn a stipend for each program term you complete.
No experience needed. We'll teach you.
Choose your own adventure.
Alongside testing projects for younger students, you'll build your own. Pick a path to see where it could take you.
We meet you where you are.
We're shaping the program around what works for each person: your schedule, your location, your goals.
Our workshop
4836 Revere Ave, Suite F, Baton Rouge
Our mobile workshop
We bring the machines to schools and community organizations.
EBR Parish Library makerspaces
Through our partnership with East Baton Rouge Parish Library.
Getting to us shouldn't be what stops them.We're raising funds for rides, materials and stipends, so cost is never the barrier.
$50 covers a ride →Good to know
When can I join?
The QA is in its pilot phase with our first members. Sign up for next cohort info, and we'll reach out when the next cohort opens.
Do I need experience?
Nope. Curiosity is enough.
Is there a stipend?
Yes. Stipends range from $1,500 to $5,000 per term, depending on your role and how much time you put in. High school interns receive at least $1,500 per term.
How much time does it take?
It depends on your role. High school interns' schedules follow Louisiana's rules for students under 18. Lead Mentors set their hours around their own schedules.
How do I get there?
We meet in public spaces like library makerspaces, or at your school when we can. For the rest, we offer a transportation stipend to help you get to and from sessions.
Who else is involved?
Parents, guardians, and mentors stay in the loop. If you're under 18, we'll connect with your parent or guardian before you start.
Get on the list for the next cohort.
The QA is in its pilot phase. Our first members are building now. Sign up to get information about the next cohort, and we'll reach out when it opens.
For high school students and young adults up to 23. Or DM us "QA" on Instagram @pro_fabed.
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.