The manufacturing industry needs to fill 2.5 million jobs by 2030, upskill existing workers
(RACINE, Wisconsin, December 2, 2022) — Approximately 48 students at the Academies of Racine Case High School in Racine, Wisconsin, will have access to new manufacturing education opportunities for the 2022-23 school year through the SME Education Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SME, a 90-yearold non-profit association committed to advancing manufacturing technology and developing a skilled workforce.
Rob Luce, Vice President, SME Education Foundation
An event celebrating the launch of Racine Case High School’s PRIME School program will be conducted on Friday, Dec. 2nd at 3:30 p.m., which will include additional details about the program, including educational content and involved participants.
Supported and informed by private industry, SME PRIME (Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education) builds cost-effective and tailored manufacturing/engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, professional development, scholarships, and manufacturing-focused extra-curricular activities to students and teachers. Nationwide, the SME Education Foundation provides hands-on manufacturing and engineering education to more than 81 schools in 22 states.
“Coordinated by our staff of highly qualified education program managers, SME PRIME schools are a model; a unique approach to manufacturing education and career preparation implemented by scores of schools across the nation,” said SME Education Foundation Vice President Rob Luce. “They include a curriculum plan of three foundational pathways teaching Metrology/Quality, CAD/CAM, and additive manufacturing or 3D printing, and they include one elective pathway that is informed by local industry needs.”
Luce said that the Foundation is focused on helping secondary education students start careers in manufacturing and fill an estimated 2.5 million jobs that will be available by 2030.
Private industry partnership support for Racine Case High School’s participation in the SME PRIME program comes from local donor organizations. They help their communities by building a pool of skilled talent who have been trained – and often certified – to fill specific roles at manufacturing companies.
The following Wisconsin manufacturers and philanthropic organizations are SME PRIME donors to the Racine Case High School program:
• Butter Buds
• E.C. Styberg
• Twin Disc
• Plastic Parts
• Putzmeister America, Inc.
• SC Johnson
• Racine Community Foundation
• Green Bay Packers Foundation
The foundation’s 2021 SME PRIME Outcomes Report indicates that 89% of SME PRIME seniors nationwide pursued careers or education in manufacturing or engineering upon graduation.
“The PRIME program at Academies of Racine Case High School provides our students with unique hands-on training opportunities that prepares them for a future career in the manufacturing workforce or a postsecondary education in engineering or manufacturing,” said Hailey Webb, academy principal of Computer Science, Education and Technical Services. “This directly aligns with our district’s vision that all students graduate career- and/or college-ready. The Academies of Racine Case’s partnership with the PRIME program offers our students access to equipment, curriculum, professional development, and scholarship opportunities. Through this program, our students can develop lifelong skills to apply in the next generation workforce becoming productive citizens in our community.”
“Twin Disc creates tangible goods through meaningful manufacturing jobs in Racine,” said Greg Mueller, director of Strategic Marketing at Twin Disc. “Investing and encouraging the future of engineering and manufacturing in Racine is a critical focus for our company and this directly aligns with SME PRIME’s initiatives to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent.”
About the SME Education Foundation
The SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Since its organization by SME in 1979, the SME Education Foundation works to bring students, educators, industry, and communities together through its SME PRIME program; awards annual student scholarships and conducts the Student Summit Event Series held at SME events in North America.
Visit the SME Education Foundation at smeeducationfoundation.org. Follow @mfgeducation on Twitter or at facebook.com/SME.Education.Foundation.