Manufacturers: Now is the time to opt in to FAME program
On the heels of the recently completed Top 100 High Priority Jobs Report, which identified the region’s most in-demand careers, Grow Quad Cities continues to develop a workforce training program for Advanced Manufacturing Technicians by establishing a FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) Chapter in the QC.
“We’ve been thoughtfully listening to what our local manufacturers need when it comes to future workforce,” said Chris Caves, Vice President, Business Retention & Expansion, Workforce, for Grow Quad Cities. "And we know the need for maintenance talent in the region is growing due to an aging population of maintenance staff. This is why we need more local manufacturing companies to join the local Riverbend FAME Chapter," she said.
FAME is a program originally developed by Toyota. It moved to the Manufacturing Institute (the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers) in 2019 for national scaling of the program. It provides global-best workforce development practices through technical training, integration of manufacturing core competencies, intensive professional practices and intentional hands-on experience.
According to Caves, this proven earn and learn cohort training program is designed to ensure the sustainability of a maintenance talent pipeline within organizations. "But without the support of more members of our local manufacturing community, our FAME Chapter won’t be able to support the large number of QC students who want to participate,” she said. “Additional manufacturing partners mean more placements for these eager students who recognize that the current workforce rewards those who have hands-on skills.”
While Caves acknowledges that companies will need to invest time and resources into the program, she said the benefits are worth it. "FAME has been positively adopted by global manufacturing companies for the past 15 years, and we're ready to demonstrate that the Quad Cities is serious about developing manufacturing professionals to satisfy this occupational need that will only grow in the years to come."
Several local companies have made commitments to the program and have seen firsthand the benefits of FAME at other locations in different regions of the country.
“FAME gave us a proactive solution,” said Bethany Lighthall, Workforce Development Manager at Novelis, which has locations across the U.S., including here in the Quad Cities.
“We’ve successfully participated in the program to support workforce readiness for new operations in Kentucky, and we’re applying that same model again as we build our newest facility in Alabama.” Building on these successes, Novelis Davenport is excited to support the launch of the proposed Riverbend FAME chapter as a key contributor to the long-term technical talent pipeline for the QC.
According to Lighthall, the strength of the FAME program lies in its early investment approach. She said that by partnering early, Novelis and industry peers ensured technicians were trained with the right technical foundations and professional expectations. “The FAME teams have played critical roles in supporting readiness and exceeding expectations in how closely they aligned training with real-world manufacturing needs,” she added.
Caves agrees that one of FAME’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to create true collaboration among manufacturers and hopes that brings more employers to the table.
“We talk a lot about partnership as an industry, but competition for talent can make that difficult,” Lighthall said. “FAME removes that barrier by creating a trusted, structured environment where companies can work together to build the talent pool we all depend on.”
Beyond technical training, Novelis has been especially impressed by FAME’s focus on professional and manufacturing core competencies. Students graduate with a strong understanding of attendance, communication, presentation skills and critical thinking – capabilities that manufacturers consistently say are just as important as technical expertise.
“The caliber of students coming out of FAME has been exceptional,” Lighthall said. You can see the return on investment quickly because these students are prepared to contribute, learn and grow.”
Cathy Dorman Walker, Human Resources Director for SSAB Steel, said that the FAME Chapter at their Alabama plant has been incredibly successful, and that she’d like to see one here at the SSAB plant in Montpelier, Iowa. “We have increased the number of FAME apprenticeships due to the talent that’s being developed in our current apprenticeships. We recently added 64 new maintenance positions to our facilities. We feel that the FAME program will help us in filling these positions with qualified applicants,” she said.
Dorman Walker said hiring a graduate of the FAME program is the equivalent of hiring an employee with five years of experience. “The hands-on learning and the structure of the program are unmatched by any other I have worked with,” she said.
For companies considering participation, the message is simple: Now is the time to opt in. Express your interest in participating in FAME by clicking the “talk to us” button on the right.
