Six $100,000 grant recipients include academic and training institutions in the United States and Europe

NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 16, 2017 — Arconic Foundation, the independently endowed philanthropic arm of Arconic Inc. (NYSE: ARNC), has awarded six US$100,000 grants as part of its Advanced Manufacturing Education Grant Program to improve advanced manufacturing education. The program was launched to catalyze and elevate innovative education programs focusing on emerging transformative technologies for the manufacturing industry. In the next two years, academic and training institutions in the United States, Germany, Hungary, and the United Kingdom aim to educate 375 students through these grant programs.

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Marissa Menanno, Staff Technician at the Arconic Technology Center, prepares parts for chemical surface treatment. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Advanced Manufacturing Education Grant Program addresses the rapid shift taking place in manufacturing – in cutting-edge technologies like automation, robotics, additive manufacturing and the digitization of information – to help solve the skills shortage faced by manufacturers globally. In the United States alone, over 365,000 manufacturing jobs are currently open, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and over two million of the 3.5 million job openings over the next decade will go unfilled due to the skills gap. The need is particularly acute for skilled and highly skilled positions, which can be exacerbated by the pace of technological change.

“A healthy manufacturing sector is a top priority,” said Todd Boppell, Chief Operating Officer, National Association of Manufacturers. “Manufacturing is the backbone of the U.S. economy, and it’s public-private collaborations like this Arconic Foundation grant program that help equip today’s students to forge successful manufacturing careers.”

Arconic Inc. is dedicated to the future of manufacturing and invests in its people, operations, and technology to reinforce an innovative manufacturing culture. Arconic Foundation supports institutions that help prepare the 21st century engineering and advanced manufacturing workforce, through nonprofit Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs.

“Investing in education is crucial to the health of economies around the world; it improves our communities, empowers individuals economically, and enhances the competitiveness of businesses and industry,” said Esra Ozer, President, Arconic Foundation. “Through partnerships with academic institutions like Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee, we help ensure that the next generation is prepared and excited for careers in advanced manufacturing.”

Pellissippi State Community College received $100,000 to expand its Engineering Technology programs. The funding will be used to add advanced industry-grade robotics equipment to its classrooms, dedicate additional space for these high-demand programs, and strengthen the early talent pipeline connection between the College and local high schools.

“Our school is working closely with the growing local manufacturing community to prepare our students with the skills they need to succeed in this rapidly-evolving workplace,” said Dr. Anthony Wise Jr., President of Pellissippi State Community College. “The Arconic Foundation grant will transform the delivery of our Engineering Technology programs and bolster the experience of countless students.”

The six grant recipients:

• Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, Indiana, United States: grant funding will integrate hands-on additive manufacturing coursework into existing programs and support the addition of a dedicated additive manufacturing course and related equipment.
• Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan, United States: grant funding will be dedicated to the creation of a dedicated mechatronics course, supporting equipment, and the incorporation of concepts into existing Manufacturing Engineering programs.
• Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States: grant funding will be used to purchased advanced industry-grade robotics and expand the Engineering Technology programs.
• University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom: grant funding will be used to refresh final year projects for Aerospace Engineering and Material Science students. The projects will include learning experiences through partnerships with local employers and will be supported by updated equipment and modeling software.
• Cologne Institute for Economic Research in cooperation with the students’ network D.E.M.I.N.G. at the University of Applied Science Fresenius Dusseldorf, Germany: grant funding will provide an in-depth experiential learning experience for students on Manufacturing 4.0 / the digitization of manufacturing.
• Obuda University, Szekesfehervar, Hungary: grant funding will update manufacturing automation labs to create a comprehensive Smart manufacturing industrial process.

About Arconic Foundation

Arconic Foundation supports programs that help prepare the 21st century engineering and advanced manufacturing workforce. Arconic Foundation is an independently endowed foundation with assets of approximately $320 million and is the charitable arm of Arconic Inc. – which works in close partnership with customers to solve complex engineering challenges to transform the way we fly, drive, build and power. Through collaboration with our nonprofit partners, our initiatives make quality STEM education opportunities available to students; support engineering and technical skills training through community colleges, technical schools and universities around the world; and help to create access for underrepresented individuals to the STEM fields. The work of Arconic Foundation is further enhanced by the thousands of Arconic employee volunteers who share their talents and time to make a difference in their communities. Established in 2016, Arconic Foundation is active in 26 countries around the globe.