The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, promoted its AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite during its “Training for the Future” tour in North Carolina.
The event brought together manufacturing executives, educators and regional leaders to address the growing skills gap in manufacturing and showcase scalable, employer-led workforce solutions.
As part of the event, leaders highlighted the MI’s Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) as an employer-led apprenticeship program for manufacturers and their future workers.
Attendees toured global packaging manufacturer Smurfit Westrock’s Winston-Salem facility, observing how students combine classroom instruction with paid, on-the-job experience at sponsoring local manufacturing plants. Attendees heard from Smurfit Westrock PM tech Charley Crowther, a 2026 graduate of FAME’s First in Flight chapter, located in the Triad region, alongside Smurfit Westrock Vice President of Operational Excellence Travis McDonough.
“Students learn the most when they can put classroom concepts into practice on the manufacturing floor,” McDonough said. “FAME equips future manufacturing workers with the skills and experience they need to succeed from day one. These programs also help us build a strong local workforce that keeps our operations running safely and efficiently.”
MI leaders also highlighted the rollout of the AI Skills for Manufacturing Training Suite, a practical, no-cost training to deliver immediate AI fluency to shop floor employees. The North Carolina events are part of the MI’s multistate road show hitting key industrial hubs throughout October to showcase practical AI training and employer-led workforce models.
