Manufacturing training programs are playing a growing role in helping to address the industry’s skilled labor shortage while preparing the next generation of workers for advanced manufacturing careers. Universities, research institutions, workforce organizations, and technical colleges all over the United States offer a plethora of hands-on manufacturing training opportunities focused on robotics, automation, machining, composites, engineering, cybersecurity, and Industry 4.0 technologies. Below, we list a selection of manufacturing training providers helping workers build the skills needed for advanced manufacturing careers. You can find many of them at the Smartforce Student Summit taking place at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, this September. There, exhibitors from all areas of the manufacturing sector will showcase their educational programs, workforce development initiatives, STEM learning opportunities, and career pathways designed to support students, educators, veterans, and early-career professionals. We'll be covering: General Educational InstitutionsResearch & Education Affiliate Members of AMT Chicago-Area Manufacturing Training Providers 1. The ARM Institute Funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (IMTS booth #211134) began in January 2017, through Carnegie Mellon University as a program for strengthening U.S. manufacturing focused on robotics and AI technology. ARM works to find ways robots can more efficiently integrate with and augment the manufacturing workforce. 2. College of Lake County The College of Lake County’s (IMTS booth #211560) Manufacturing Alliance program helps connect students, recent graduates, and potential apprentices to businesses looking to hire them. The college works alongside local businesses to design curricula to fit the needs of modern manufacturing. 3. IACMI - The Composite Institute The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IMTS booth #211550) fosters collaboration between professionals from industry, government, and universities to accelerate the development of advanced composite materials to overcome modern technical challenges with lighter, stronger materials. 4. Kettering University Kettering University (IMTS booth #211610) began as a night school for automotive engineers, but has grown into a school offering degrees in numerous STEM fields such as manufacturing systems, semiconductor materials and devices, and a variety of engineering fields. 5. Mississippi State University MSU (IMTS booth #211452) is an active supporter of the manufacturing industry, with numerous programs designed to prepare students for manufacturing careers. These programs include the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems-Extension, Mississippi Advanced Composites Institute, and the Advancements in Manufacturing Upskilling Program. 6. NSF HAMMER-ERC, The Ohio State University The U.S. National Science Foundation HAMMER Engineering Research Center (IMTS booth #211254) at The Ohio State University performs research into cutting-edge approaches to manufacturing while preparing students for work in the industry. 7. Skilled Knowledgeable Youth (SKY) SKY (IMTS booth #211514) is an educational program that exposes young people to STEM through challenging projects designed to spark interest in engineering and skilled trade work. Participants are middle and high school students who are encouraged to pursue STEM education as adults. 8. Student Run Manufacturing Enterprise Student Run Manufacturing Enterprise (IMTS booth #211148) models programs for engaging students in manufacturing by supporting them in running an actual manufacturing business through their high school. As these students learn, they sell their skills producing real parts for real businesses, providing them with comprehensive experience running a manufacturing business. 9. Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station TEES (IMTS booth #211454) is a Texas state agency incorporated into the university with the goal of both performing basic research and developing the manufacturing workforce. The organization combines the resources of government, industry, and academia to develop solutions to manufacturing challenges. 10. Work for Tomorrow Work for Tomorrow’s workforce development app helps students and educators to document their skill development to ease the early stages of entering careers in industrial manufacturing. It helps demonstrate the value these young professionals bring to their employers through careful documentation. Research & Education Affiliate Members of AMT 1. AMTECAMTEC (IMTS booth #211142) advances manufacturing workforce development through Industry 4.0 education, industry-validated online curriculum and professional development programs created in partnership with manufacturers and technical colleges. The organization also provides maintenance certification assessments and real-world industrial training equipment aligned with modern advanced manufacturing environments. 2. Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing CCAM is a Virginia-based corporation bringing industry, academia, and government together to solve real challenges facing the world of industrial manufacturing. 3. Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology CCAT drives innovation by helping manufacturers through the process of adopting new technologies, as well as strengthening operations and developing top talent. 4. Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals CSCMP is a professional organization that funds research into supply chain solutions while supporting its members as they adopt new technologies and build their workforce. 5. Finger Lakes Technical & Career Center Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) Academy The Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center is a network of career and technical schools in Upstate New York. It operates an AME Academy dedicated to exposing students to precision machining, computer-aided design, and welding technologies as a way of supporting the manufacturing workforce. 6. Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute GTMI is an interdisciplinary research institute at Georgia Tech with the goal of driving innovation to secure U.S. dominance in advanced manufacturing. It partners with industry leaders, the U.S. government partners, and top researchers to tackle modern manufacturing challenges. 7. Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) IACMI is an independent organization that pursues public-private collaborations to fund research and workforce development projects with the goals of improving the manufacturing workforce and developing improved materials and manufacturing techniques. Ultimately, IACMI hopes to secure American manufacturing for both prosperity and defense. 8. Lamar University The Texas-based Lamar University has a nationally recognized engineering school dedicated to producing graduates capable of addressing the needs of modern manufacturing. 9. Lawrence Technological University 4.0 Accelerator The LTU accelerator is designed to help small and medium-sized manufacturers navigate the world of Industry 4.0, assisting in the adoption and implementation of advanced technologies. 10. LIFT LIFT works with its industrial partners to design, build, and test innovative materials and manufacturing processes and curricula, moving the U.S. industrial base into the future. 11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Founded in 1861, MIT has supported industrialization through scientific research for over 100 years. 12. MassMEP Based in Massachusetts, MassMEP provides consulting services, applied learning programs, and custom solutions to a range of small and medium-sized manufacturers. 13. Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center MMTC supports Michigan manufacturers through consulting services dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses grow. 14. Michigan Technological University Founded in 1881, MTU is a research-focused university that provides dozens of different degrees for STEM-focused career paths. 15. MxD | The Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute MxD (IMTS booth #211134) is a consulting organization that partners with the government to provide private industry with assistance in solving critical manufacturing challenges through digital technology and workforce development. 16. National Center for Defense Manufacturing & Machining The NCDMM participates in research and development projects to improve Department of Defense weapon and support systems, in part by supporting the U.S. defense industrial base. 17. National Center for Manufacturing Sciences NCMS provides consulting services for small and medium-sized manufacturers. It has over forty years of experience leading public-private partnerships, and it has a proven track record of implementing solutions that strengthen the manufacturing base by reducing costs and improving efficiency. 18. New Jersey Innovation Institute The NJII fosters collaboration between industry and academia by leveraging the resources of the New Jersey Institute of Technology to develop solutions tailored to industrial needs. 19. Penn State University Learning Factory The Learning Factory provides visitors with the space and resources to participate in hands-on training and learning programs covering a variety of skills, including those directly applicable to the needs of U.S. manufacturing such as CNC metalworking. 20. Southwest Research Institute Manufacturing Systems Department SwRI is a contract R&D provider that offers multidisciplinary services in a variety of areas of manufacturing, technology, and engineering to both government and private clients. 21. TechSolve, Inc. TechSolve is a consulting group dedicated to developing technological solutions for its customers that increase productivity. 22. University of Florida Center for Manufacturing Innovation The UF Center for Manufacturing Innovation leverages research to produce innovative manufacturing technologies that enable improved product performance. The center trains students from the high school to graduate levels to have strong analytical/computational modeling capabilities coupled with sound experimental techniques and data analysis skills. 23. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Center for Precision Metrology The CPM focuses on the research and development of precision metrology solutions for advanced manufacturing. It partners with both private enterprise and public institutions to address the real-world challenges faced by manufacturers. 24. Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation The WIMEF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving workforce development practices in the U.S. by offering training and educational programs to support the advancement and development of women at all stages of their manufacturing careers. 25. Workshops For Warriors WFM provides training and STEM education programs to veterans and transitioning service members to support their reintegration into society and build up the U.S. manufacturing workforce. Chicago-Area Manufacturing Training Providers 1. College of DuPage The College of DuPage is a local community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, serving DuPage County. Its Manufacturing Technology program prepares its students for the workforce through education and career counseling. 2. College of Lake County The College of Lake County (IMTS booth #211560) is a community college that offers a Precision Machining Technology degree in which teachers with decades of experience in the industry guide and advise students as they enter their careers. 3. DePaul University DePaul University offers a number of degrees related to manufacturing, including degrees in engineering and industrial design. 4. Elgin Community College Elgin Community College has opened its Manufacturing and Technology Institute at its campus in Elgin, Illinois. With this institute and curricula designed around the challenges facing modern manufacturers, ECC hopes to help develop a workforce capable of meeting the needs of Illinois manufacturers. 5. Harper College Harper College's Manufacturing Technology program provides training in CNC machining, automation, and supply chain management for high-tech careers. 6. Illinois Institute of Technology The Illinois Institute of Technology provides education and training for over 50 fields. Its STEM-focused curriculum prepares learners for a range of careers in manufacturing. 7. Lincoln College of Technology Lincoln College of Technology is a trade school in the Chicago area that covers a number of skilled trades, including welding and CNC manufacturing. 8. McHenry County College The McHenry County College is a community college offering a Manufacturing Essentials certification that prepares students for a career in machining, engineering, automation, or welding and fabrication. 9. Northwestern University Northwestern University’s bachelor of science program in Manufacturing and Design Engineering prepares students with the skills that will serve them in a modern industrial environment. 10. Richard J. Daley College The Richard J. Daley College’s Manufacturing Technology Department provides training and education for a variety of careers in the manufacturing industry. Students can learn at the Manufacturing Technology Engineering Center, which includes machinery and equipment that provides hands-on experience in multiple areas of focus. 11. Triton College In addition to engineering programs, Triton College provides degrees and certificates in a number of skilled trades such as fabrication and automotive manufacturing. 12. University of Illinois Chicago The Chicago campus of the University of Illinois offers a Mechanical and Industrial Engineering degree that prepares young manufacturers for the needs of the industry. 13. Wilbur Wright College The Advanced Manufacturing field of study at Wilbur Wright College prepares students for careers in CNC machining, maintenance, welding, and more. Manufacturing Training Programs - Summary As manufacturing technologies continue to evolve, workforce development is a top priority across the industry. From robotics and automation to machining, composites, metrology, and digital manufacturing, these manufacturing training programs are helping students and workers build the skills needed for modern industrial careers. The organizations participating at IMTS 2026 cover a broad range of educational pathways available within manufacturing, including university programs, technical training, apprenticeships, workforce development initiatives, and hands-on STEM education experiences. Registration is now open for educators and post-secondary students, so sign up now to attend the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS 2026. Do you have input about this article? Tell us about it.
Explore manufacturing training programs, STEM education initiatives, and workforce development organizations exhibiting at IMTS 2026.
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