Shop class

Industrial Arts is an educational program which features fabrication of objects in wood or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools. It may include small engine repair and automobile maintenance, and all programs usually cover technical drawing as part of the curricula. As an educational term, industrial arts dates from 1904 when Charles R. Richards of Teachers College, Columbia University, New York suggested it to replace manual training.

In the United States, Industrial Arts classes are colloquially known as "shop class"; these programs expose children to the basics of home repair, manual craftsmanship, and machine safety. Most Industrial Arts programs were established in comprehensive rather than dedicated vocational schools and focused on a broad range of skills rather than on a specific vocational training.

In Victoria (VIC, Australia) Industrial Arts is still a key part of the high school curriculum. The term now describes a key study of technology that focuses on both engineering and industrial technologies. Additionally, design using the aforementioned technologies is now a key part of the Industrial Arts curriculum and has been since the mid-1980s when Technics was introduced into Victorian high schools.

One of the most important aspects of Industrial Arts is still that while students design they ultimately realize a solution; learning the challenges involved with working with materials and also the challenges of small scale project management.

Some universities have doctoral programs in the Industrial Arts.

An industrial arts club is an organization that promotes the use of industrial fabrication equipment by the general public. Clubs have grown out of the decline of industrial arts (aka shop class) programs in comprehensive school systems in the US. Clubs began as student organizations in primary and secondary schools offering industrial, the TechShop and Sparqs Industrial Arts Club based in Massachusetts which grew out of campus activities at MIT.

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