CLEVELAND, Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tooling U-SME is pleased to partner with the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, America Makes and Thomas P. Miller & Associates on a new initiative to bring more learning and development opportunities to the workforce employed in the defense manufacturing sector. The partners received one of four grants awarded by the Department of Defense and sponsored by the Department of the Navy, Office of Naval Research under ONR award N00014-18-1-2881, to support the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program, which was established to support the development of the current and future manufacturing engineering workforce that produces military systems and components, assuring technological superiority for the DoD.

"We look forward to collaborating with the NCDMM, America Makes and TPMA on this MEEP initiative for the Department of Defense and the Office of Naval Research," said Jeannine Kunz, vice president, Tooling U-SME. "This collaboration will bring together industry, the DoD and academia to strategically impact the manufacturing engineering workforce, supporting this critical national initiative to invest in the defense supplier base's resilience and skills development of its workforce."

As the learning and development division of SME and leading provider of training for the advanced manufacturing industry, Tooling U-SME will work closely with NCDMM, America Makes, TPMA and the DoD to identify the areas of greatest need for the defense sector, with a focus on additive manufacturing and enabling technologies. Tooling U-SME will leverage its extensive experience in instructional design and development to create learning programs that will address the most critical skills gaps. These learning programs will include: competency frameworks that provide manufacturers with a roadmap for knowledge and skills development; new e-learning and instructor-led training classes; and enhancements to SME's longstanding manufacturing technologist and manufacturing engineering certification programs to measure learning outcomes. Once developed and launched, these new resources will be available for the defense sector as well as the thousands of manufacturing companies and hundreds of educational institutions that Tooling U-SME supports nationwide.

"Creating sustainable learning and development programs is a priority for Tooling U-SME," adds Kunz. "We are committed to helping companies and communities maximize the potential of their current and future workforce to ensure a strong American manufacturing base to support our national defense needs."

For more details about the MEEP program, click here to read the NCDMM press release.

About Tooling U-SME

Tooling U-SME delivers versatile, competency-based learning and development solutions to the manufacturing community, working with more than half of all Fortune 500® manufacturing companies, as well as 600 educational institutions across the country. Tooling U-SME partners with customers to build high performers who help their companies drive quality, profitability, productivity, innovation and employee satisfaction. Working directly with hundreds of high schools, community and technical colleges, and universities, Tooling U-SME is able to help prepare the next-generation workforce by providing industry-driven curriculum. A division of SME, a nonprofit that connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world, Tooling U-SME can be found at toolingu.com or on Facebook (facebook.com/toolingu) and Twitter (twitter.com/toolingu).

About NCDMM

NCDMM delivers innovative and collaborative manufacturing solutions that enhance our nation's workforce and economic competitiveness. NCDMM has extensive knowledge and depth in manufacturing areas—both commercial and defense—continually innovate, improve, and advance manufacturing technologies and methodologies. Our experienced team specializes in identifying the needs, the players, the technologies, and processes to attain optimal solutions for our customers. We connect the dots. That's the NCDMM methodology. NCDMM also manages the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3DP printing (3DP), America Makes and the V4 Institute. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at ncdmm.org.

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SOURCE Tooling U-SME