Bloomsburg, Penn., Sept. 16, 2024 – Since the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year, the SME Education Foundation has empowered students at Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School (CMAVTS) with cutting-edge training in advanced manufacturing through its SME PRIME® program. The Foundation operates as the philanthropic arm of SME, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing technology and fostering manufacturing and engineering talent and capabilities in the United States.

Students, teachers, community members, and representatives of the Foundation were joined by Pennsylvania Senator Lynda Culver to celebrate the SME PRIME program on Friday, September 13 at the school. The event showcased the recently launched SME PRIME program and included displays of classroom projects and demonstrations of the new manufacturing-related equipment.

Of the program participants who graduated in 2024, over half (62%) of the graduating students plan to pursue careers in manufacturing. The majority (50%) plan to enter the workforce in a manufacturing-related position. The remainder plan to pursue post-secondary education at a four-year college or university in a manufacturing-related program. With SME PRIME still in its early years at CMAVTS, the demand for manufacturing education is clear.

“Columbia Montour Tech’s mission is to build partnerships with businesses, industry, and communities to prepare students to meet the challenges of work and life in an ever-changing world. Equipping our students with the skills for high-demand careers is a priority we continuously evaluate,” said CMAVTS Administrative Director Curtis Funkhouser. “Working in tandem with the SME Education Foundation has helped us expand our mission and provide essential training and resources needed for successful careers in manufacturing and engineering,”

Informed by private industry, SME PRIME (Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education) builds custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships, and funding for extracurricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with 40 industry recognized credentials and certifications. SME PRIME is located in 110 schools across 23 states, serving 10,000 students, and 91% of SME PRIME seniors pursue manufacturing post-graduation.

SME PRIME provides robust learning experiences responding to local workforce demands. Currently there are about 622,000 U.S. manufacturing positions unfilled. That shortage will grow to 2.5 million unfilled jobs by 2030. SME PRIME addresses this critical shortage by providing schools will resources for instruction that meets the needs of local manufacturers.

“SME PRIME paves the way for students to develop specialized skills in advanced manufacturing and puts them on a career path to make a livable wage. 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. “The SME PRIME program bolsters the industry’s talent pipeline to ensure North America’s industrial base remains strong.”

The SME PRIME curriculum at Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School (CMAVTS) provides a program of manufacturing and engineering education with hands-on training in high demand skill sets including metrology and quality, CAD/CAM, additive manufacturing, and industrial maintenance. The participating students have unique opportunities to learn on industry relevant, state-of-the-art equipment and prepare for promising careers. The average salary for the state’s manufacturing workers is over $82,000 annually, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

"Participating in the SME PRIME program at CMAVTS has helped me gain more knowledge designing mechanical assemblies using Fusion 360 and 3D printing,” said CMAVTS SME PRIME student Benjamin Gearhart. “As a student in the Drafting and Design Technology program, it is important that I have technology and equipment to use to gain further knowledge in constructability and iterative design process.”

The Foundation worked with Arconic Foundation, the founding sponsor, and other program funders Girton Manufacturing, Sekisui Kydex, Function of Beauty and Cheetah Chassis to encourage area manufacturer engagement with the school and incorporate localized manufacturing guidance in developing a unique curriculum plan for the school.

“Arconic Foundation invested in bringing the SME PRIME program to CMAVTS because the highly tailored, employer-informed curriculum offers local students an incredible opportunity to build their skills and prepare for their future,” said Ryan Kish, Arconic Foundation President and Treasurer. “The SME PRIME curriculum and industry-grade equipment at CMAVTS will benefit students for years to come.”

About SME PRIME

SME PRIME® partners private industry with academia to build custom manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships, and funding for extra-curricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with over 40 industry recognized certifications. SME PRIME is located in 110 schools across 23 states, serving 10,000 students, and 91% of PRIME seniors pursue manufacturing post-graduation.

About the SME Education Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of SME, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Established in 1979, the Foundation works to expose youth to modern manufacturing technologies, train students on relevant manufacturing processes, and award millions of dollars in scholarships annually. All Foundation programming seeks to empower youth to consider and pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering and increase engagement with historically underrepresented populations to help diversify the manufacturing industry. We continue to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent – now as many as 12,000 students every year. Visit smeef.org and follow the SME Education Foundation on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About SME

Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the entire North American manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds North America’s talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.