Inspiring the Next Generation of Manufacturers

The manufacturing industry stands at a critical juncture. A widening skills gap and a projected surge in unfilled jobs threaten to hinder innovation and growth. However, initiatives are underway to address this challenge head-on, inspiring and equipping the next generation of manufacturing professionals. 

At the recent RAPID + TCT event in Detroit, SME’s Dan Sloan, Director of Strategic Partnerships, sat down for an “SME Insights” discussion with Rob Luce, Vice President of the SME Education Foundation, to shed light on the vital work being done to secure the future of manufacturing. Their dialogue underscored a compelling theme: the urgent need for collaboration and early engagement to cultivate a robust and skilled workforce. 

The SME Education Foundation, established in 1979 as the philanthropic arm of SME, is on a mission to "inspire, prepare, and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent." Through a suite of impactful programs, the Foundation annually serves approximately 12,000 high school students, actively dismantling outdated perceptions of manufacturing as a "dirty, dull, or dying" industry. 

Dispelling Myths and Igniting Passion 

A cornerstone of their efforts is the Bright Minds Student Summit program, which brought 300 high school students to RAPID + TCT. This immersive experience offers curated technology demonstrations, keynote speeches, and guided tours of the show floor, exposing students to the cutting-edge realities of modern manufacturing, often for the very first time. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many students expressing surprise and excitement at the high-tech, clean, and potentially lucrative career paths within the industry. “Oftentimes, these students have never even really considered manufacturing or what their role in manufacturing might be,” said Luce. “It’s the technology that really hooks these kids and gets them to consider how they might participate in the manufacturing space.”  

The Power of Partnership: The SME PRIME Program 

The Foundation's signature initiative, SME PRIME (Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education), exemplifies the power of collaboration. SME PRIME connects private sector manufacturers with local high schools to build customized manufacturing education programs. “SME PRIME has never been an off-the-shelf, out-of-the-box, cookie-cutter type program,” said Luce. “We’re in 120 schools across 25 states, and not one of those programs looks the same as the other program. Every program is tailored to meet the needs of those local manufacturers.”  

SME PRIME provides everything from equipment and curriculum to teacher training, extracurricular activity funding, and scholarships, ensuring long-term sustainability. The curriculum, developed in partnership with Tooling U-SME, covers a broad spectrum of in-demand skills, including machining, fabrication, industrial maintenance, welding, mechatronics, robotics, and additive manufacturing. Crucially, this curriculum aligns with over 45 industry-recognized credentials and certifications, ensuring that graduates are immediately workforce-ready with skills demanded by local businesses. 

Investing in Educators and Scaling for Impact 

Recognizing the importance of equipped educators, SME PRIME prioritizes teacher training. “Usually, that’s the first deliverable that we provide to the school when we go in with the SME PRIME program. We send teachers to different training institutions around the country to become certified in a particular manufacturing process or on a particular piece of equipment so that they can come back into the classroom and certify the students,” said Luce.  

This investment in professional development ensures that teachers are confident and competent in delivering cutting-edge instruction. All these invaluable resources are provided to schools at no charge, which is a testament to the Foundation's robust fundraising efforts, historically supported by the private sector and increasingly by state and federal governments. This shift in funding strategy has allowed the Foundation to double the number of SME PRIME schools across the country in recent years, scaling their impact significantly. 

A Future Forged Through Collaboration 

The impact of these programs is undeniable. On average, 12,000 students participate in the SME PRIME program annually, with a remarkable 91% of graduating seniors pursuing manufacturing post-graduation.  

 SME PRIME's focus on technology exposure, project-based learning, and industry-relevant curriculum is clearly contributing to meaningful progress. 

As the manufacturing industry faces a projected shortage of 500,000 unfilled jobs today, potentially increasing five-fold by the end of the decade, urgency for action is paramount. Programs like SME PRIME are not just beneficial; they are essential solutions to this looming talent crisis. The more collaboration, the faster this crisis can be solved. 

We are doing good work, but we need more. We need more programs, more student enrollment, and continued strong collaboration across industry, education, and government. The future of manufacturing depends on our collective efforts to inspire, prepare, and support the next generation. 

To hear their whole conversation, you can watch the video below. To learn more about how you can contribute to bridging the manufacturing skills gap, visit SME PRIME.