VINCENNES, Ind. – Vincennes University will be the site of a national conference for individuals who are recruiting and developing the next generation of advanced manufacturing technical talent.

The 2019 FAME AMT Academy July 22-Aug. 2 on the VU campus will be a gathering of stakeholders and interested parties from around the United States who are collaborating to learn about the highly successful Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) program. The program delivers highly skilled technical talent to employers that desperately need help to solve their workforce shortages.

There are 29 active AMT chapters with around 300 companies sponsoring 650 students nationwide, including the Wabash Valley chapter, where VU is the postsecondary provider. VU’s FAME partners include AmeriQual, Berry Global, Hershey, Farbest Foods, Metal Technologies, ThyssenKrupp, Toyota, and Toyota Boshoku America.

“VU is leading the way in the state of Indiana with industry-driven work and learn partnerships all across the state,” VU’s AMT Supervisor Tim Hedrick said. “Ours is the first and currently the only chapter to be partners with FAME and the Indiana Manufacturers Association.”

Students in the AMT program receive hands-on learning, obtain a VU associate degree in Advanced Manufacturing Automation Technology, and earn real-world work experience. In addition to attending classes on the Vincennes campus, they work 16 hours weekly, plus summers and breaks, as paid interns at an AMT partner facility with many starting at $17 per hour. Students can potentially earn $40,000 in wages, which with planning, can cover all of their education expenses. VU is hosting the academy for the second time in three years.

Seventy attendees from 13 states, including representatives from the National Association of Manufacturers and Indiana Manufacturers Association, will be fully immersed in all aspects of the AMT program during the academy. They’ll meet with AMT students, learn about promoting female diversity, discuss soft skill development and safety, and explore many other topics. Participants will tour the Advanced Manufacturing Center located in the Technology Building on the VU campus, as well as other VU facilities.

"I am excited to return to Vincennes University to see the continued growth and development of FAME and the AMT program in Indiana. VU and Indiana are proving to be national leaders in the FAME movement, a critical initiative for developing the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow,” Toyota North American Regional Talent Development Consultant Dennis Dio Parker.

“The skills gap is increasing and the AMT program is one way to train and provide companies with skilled technicians,” Hedrick said. “Our partnership with Toyota along with the other eight FAME partners, is working together to develop talent that will be critical for the future success and growth of our region.”

For more information on the AMT program, contact Tim Hedrick at thedrick@vinu.edu or call 812-888-4421.

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY - Indiana’s First College

VU is state-supported with campuses in Vincennes and Jasper, the Aviation Technology Center and American Sign Language program in Indianapolis, Early College Career and Technical Education Centers, and additional sites such as the Gene Haas Training and Education Center in Lebanon, the Logistics Training and Education Center in Plainfield, and the Gibson County Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics in Fort Branch. A leader in developing Early Colleges statewide, VU also offers instruction at military sites throughout the nation.

In addition to offering a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs, VU also offers bachelor’s degree programs in technology, homeland security, nursing, secondary education programs in mathematics and science, and special education/elementary education.

VU enrolls students from throughout Indiana, 35 other states, and 17 countries. Tuition and fees are the lowest among Indiana campuses with residence halls. VU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Founded in 1801, VU is Indiana’s first college and is the only college in the nation founded by an individual who would later become President of the United States. William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. President, founded VU while serving as governor of the Indiana Territory. More information is available at www.vinu.edu.

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Vincennes University Newsroom

MARCIA MARTINEZ, University Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
   812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/news/newsroom