en.Wedoany.com Reported - IACMI – The Composites Institute has announced a major expansion of its American Cutting Edge (ACE) and Metallurgical Engineering Training and Apprenticeship Learning (METAL) programs, planning to add 53 new training sites by 2030, bringing the total to over 100 sites.
Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, IACMI is a national manufacturing institute that connects industry, government, and academia to accelerate innovation and strengthen the manufacturing workforce. This expansion is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Industrial Base Policy Office, managed under 10 U.S.C §4817. The expansion plan includes establishing new sites at universities, colleges, and trade schools to enhance the accessibility of manufacturing training and support emerging industries. As part of the ACE program expansion, one course will focus specifically on the composites sector. Additionally, IACMI will launch new initiatives to engage over 50,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade and provide hundreds of internship opportunities.
Chad Duty, CEO of IACMI, stated that the ACE and METAL programs have already impacted thousands of individuals and the manufacturing industry as a whole. He hopes this expansion will further raise awareness of manufacturing careers, offering more training opportunities for people across various regions to quickly acquire the necessary skills and join the workforce.
The ACE program was established in 2020, initially teaching students CNC machining. The success of this educational model led to the program's expansion to 11 new courses and 43 training sites nationwide by 2025. In this expansion, IACMI plans to increase the number of ACE training sites to 80, including 15 new sites added in 2026.
In addition to new sites, IACMI will implement an internship program offering 6- to 8-week placements, directly providing students with hands-on experience and industry pathways. This program will be available at every IACMI network site and training partner. At the elementary and middle school levels, a new course called ACE METAL Foundations will cover kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms, using portable interactive kits to teach students about manufacturing, materials, and design. By 2030, this foundational course aims to reach over 50,000 students nationwide, helping to cultivate a future pipeline of manufacturing talent.
