IACMI Announces Major Expansion of Workforce Development Programs

America's Cutting Edge (ACE) and Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeships & Learning (METAL) will expand to more than 50 new sites by 2030

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- IACMI–The Composites Institute®, a national manufacturing institute that connects industry, government, and academia to accelerate innovation and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing workforce, today announced a major expansion of its America's Cutting Edge (ACE) and Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeships & Learning (METAL) programs.

Supported through funding by the Department of War's (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Policy, which manages investments made pursuant to the Industrial Base Fund (10 U.S.C §4817), the expansion plans to grow the two workforce development programs to 53 new locations at universities, colleges, and trade schools by 2030, bringing the total number of sites to over 100. IACMI aims to establish new sites across the country to enhance access to manufacturing training and support emerging industries. Additionally, IACMI will introduce new initiatives to engage over 50,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade and to provide hundreds of internship opportunities.

"ACE and METAL have made a profound impact on the lives of thousands of people and the manufacturing industry at large," said Chad Duty, chief executive officer, IACMI. "With this expansion, we seek to further promote awareness of manufacturing careers and provide greater access to training, enabling people everywhere to acquire the skills necessary to join the workforce rapidly."

ACE Enters Major Growth Period

Founded in 2020, the ACE program began as a platform for teaching students CNC machining. The success of the educational model enabled the program to expand to 11 new courses and grow to 43 training sites nationwide by 2025. With this expansion, IACMI plans to increase the number of ACE training sites to 80, including 15 new sites in 2026.

In addition to new sites, IACMI will implement an internship program offering 6-8 week placements that connect people directly with hands-on experience and industry pathways. The internship program will be made available at every site and with every training partner in the IACMI network. At the grade and middle school levels, a new curriculum called ACE METAL Foundations will extend the program's reach into kindergarten to 5th-grade classrooms. The program will use portable, interactive kits to teach students about manufacturing, materials, and design. By 2030, ACE METAL Foundations plans to reach more than 50,000 students nationwide to help foster the manufacturing pipeline for future generations.

METAL Doubles & Enhances Footprint

The METAL program seeks to help strengthen training opportunities for the casting and forging industries. Since its inception in 2023, the METAL network has expanded to 14 sites nationwide. Additional expansion efforts will double its footprint, including locations with forging bootcamps. METAL's rapid growth underscores the program's immediate success in connecting new generations to resilient, important careers in metalworking and manufacturing. As part of the program's growth, IACMI plans to significantly increase the number of apprenticeships and internships to more than 75 and 350, respectively.

METAL will also deploy two new, state-of-the-art mobile training units. One will focus on K-12 learners and the other will bring the METAL bootcamp experience and learning opportunities to those in rural areas.

"America cannot rebuild its industrial base without rebuilding the human talent behind it," said Justin Brooks, deputy director of workforce development at IACMI. "This expansion is about creating a national system that reaches students early, connects training to real industry demand, and gives people clear pathways into the machining, casting, forging, and manufacturing careers that strengthen our economy and national security."

About IACMI ®:
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, better known as IACMI – The Composites Institute®, brings together innovators from industry, government, and universities to tackle some of the nation's biggest challenges. By accelerating the development of advanced composites that are lighter, stronger, and energy-saving, we help move ideas from the lab to the marketplace.

Through collaboration and R&D projects, our members reduce costs, cut energy use, and strengthen U.S. manufacturing. The result is not only better products, but a more resilient economy, a secure energy future, and a workforce prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.

Launched in 2015 as the fifth Manufacturing USA institute, IACMI became the first to receive renewed funding from the Department of Energy in 2023. Now in our second decade of innovation, we believe composites hold untapped potential to dramatically increase energy resiliency and transform nearly every sector of the economy.

About ACE: 
America's Cutting Edge, supported through funding by the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Policy, is a national training program designed to reestablish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technological innovation, and workforce development. The curriculum combines advanced training and techniques from the University of Tennessee, the scientific expertise of the Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the proven workforce development capabilities of IACMI. 

About METAL:
Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL), Metallurgical Engineering Trades, Apprenticeships & Learning (METAL), led by IAMCI and funded by the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Policy, is an industry-driven initiative aimed at providing high-quality, hands-on training in the metalworking and manufacturing sectors. The program is designed to address workforce development needs by offering comprehensive curricula in casting, forging and metallurgy, with an emphasis on automation and modern manufacturing technologies.

Contact: Crystal Bentley
[email protected]

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SOURCE IACMI, The Composites Institute