The Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program, led by IACMI-The Composites Institute, has announced a partnership with Georgia Southern University to enhance and scale up industry-driven training opportunities for current and prospective metalworking and manufacturing professionals. Funded by the Department of War's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program, METAL strengthens and diversifies the U.S. metal manufacturing workforce, focusing on casting, forging, and plate rolling.
Georgia Southern's Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) program will implement METAL's nationally recognized curriculum in its program, beginning with a combination of online training and immersive in-person boot camps held at a manufacturing lab, equipped for metal melting, heat treatment, and machining capabilities.
In addition to adult training, these programs will lead outreach efforts for K-12 students by offering workshops and partnering with high schools and other local and regional schools to spark early interest in metallurgical careers.
"The hands-on training students and job seekers will experience through METAL's partnership with Georgia Southern will teach them industry-ready skills they can apply immediately," said Lucinda Curry, METAL National Workforce Manager at IACMI. "These are high-demand, high-impact careers; exposing students to modern metalworking helps build a pipeline of talent ready to support American manufacturing and innovation."
Upon completing online and in-person boot camp training, participants may enter a stacked curriculum offering a menu of specialized training opportunities within METAL, allowing participants to tailor their learning experience, including an enhanced focus on automation in the casting and forging industry.
"We are excited to partner with METAL to provide hands-on and computational learning experiences using our exceptional manufacturing facilities," said Mingzhi Xu, Ph.D., FEF Key Professor at Georgia Southern. "By opening our foundry and laboratories to the broader community, we are proud to support METAL's mission and help prepare the public for high-impact careers in modern metal manufacturing."
For more information contact:
IACMI
2730 Cherokee Farm Way, Ste. 207
Knoxville, TN 37920
www.iacmi.org
Georgia Southern University
1332 Southern Drive
Statesboro, GA 30458
912-478-4636
www.GeorgiaSouthern.edu
University FEF
1695 Penny Lane
Schaumburg, IL 60173
info@fefinc.org
www.fefinc.org