As Baldwin County continues to grow, it is vital to support the manufacturing industry to help diversify our local economy. With manufacturing jobs on average paying 29% more than the county’s average wage, promoting and growing this economic sector is critical. To meet the demand for a skilled workforce, industry leaders have launched a new chapter of the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) in Baldwin County, FAME Built by Baldwin.

FAME Built by Baldwin is a work-based learning initiative connecting Coastal Alabama Community College students to local industries to cultivate a pipeline of skilled workers and Baldwin County will officially welcome its first cohort in May 2025.

The program will provide work experience in mechanical equipment, electrical controls, robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics, industrial computers, and motor controls – paired with the opportunity to earn an Advanced Manufacturing Technician credential. The students will divide their time between the classroom and one of the ten companies sponsoring the program, spending two days per week in class and three training with their employer.

The FAME Built by Baldwin program is supported by Coastal Alabama Community College and a coalition of industry sponsors, including Vulcan, Inc., Novelis, Segers, Quincy Compressors, Coca-Cola, Collins Aerospace, Gulf Packaging, Inc., Kaishan Compressor USA, Ecovery, LLC., Saunders Yachtworks, and others. Students will be placed with their sponsoring companies upon graduation, ensuring a direct path from the school door to the factory floor.

“Vulcan is proud to be affiliated with the new FAME Built by Baldwin program at Coastal Alabama Community College,” Jennifer Crawford, SPHR, Vice President of Human Resources at Vulcan, Inc., said. “Through our partnership with this new curriculum, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of talent, empowering them with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of manufacturing.”

The FAME program could not come at a better time to continue helping foster a sustainable workforce pipeline, especially with Baldwin County’s newest manufacturer, Novelis, looking to fill 1,000 positions for their soon-to-be-built aluminum plant in Bay Minette.

“Novelis is a proud part of FAME USA at multiple chapters across the U.S.,” Amanda Selph, Human Resources Business Partner Lead at Novelis Bay Minette, said. “When we start talking about how many jobs we will have open at Novelis – we are often asked, ‘Where are you going to get all those workers?’ The answer – ‘everywhere.’ Novelis wants to be a part of the talent ecosystem that grows talent and reaps the rewards of motivated learners. FAME’s mechatronics program is especially critical for us as we develop our future tradespeople into mechanics and electricians.”

For the students motivated to tackle this growing industry, work-based learning resources such as FAME Built by Baldwin and Baldwin Preparatory Academy are great opportunities. Baldwin Preparatory Academy is Alabama’s first standalone career-tech high school and offers mechatronics as an area of study to further support workforce development.

Coastal Alabama Community College is also strengthening its commitment to the manufacturing workforce. The college’s Workforce Development division recently secured a $250,000 grant from the Alabama Community College Systems (ACCS) Industry Certification Initiative to purchase new equipment for the FAME Built by Baldwin learning lab at Fairhope Airport Academy.

“We know that FAME is a world-class program,” Dr. Josh Duplantis, Dean of Workforce for Coastal Alabama Community College, said. “For Coastal, we want to assure that the lab environment for students matches the FAME Built by Baldwin brand. We are thankful for ACCS giving us the opportunities to apply for these funds to support programs that help us grow local talent with our local industries.”

The FAME Built by Baldwin program will be a pivotal initiative that will leverage the region’s workforce strengths and fulfill the manufacturing industry’s requirements for long-term success and innovation by equipping local talent. With FAME having its largest presence in Alabama, the program is well-positioned to drive economic success and maintain a competitive edge in the manufacturing landscape in Baldwin County for decades to come.

Posted in Alabama, Built By Baldwin, Uncategorized