FAME USA Frequently Asked Questions

Manufacturing today is a dramatic shift from its historical perception. Modern manufacturing provides opportunities for creators, makers and collaborators who are designing and building America’s future. On average, a career in manufacturing pays more than $84,000 a year in salary and benefits. It’s the path to a secure career, with many opportunities to progress and grow. Modern manufacturing also provides opportunities to grow into specialties, such as operations, management, technology and engineering. New jobs in modern manufacturing extend beyond shop floors and laboratories into offices, state-of-the-art tech centers and even your living room. Everything that is made needs smart thinkers and doers to invent, market, distribute and maintain revolutionary products. Modern manufacturing is what you make of it, and the opportunities are endless.

Advanced manufacturing is the use of innovative technologies in the production of material goods, relying on the coordination of information, automation, computation, software, and networking. It involves new and cutting edge manufacturing processes for existing products, as well as the production of new products from new technologies.

FAME currently has programs in 13 states and is always looking for industry partners to help expand manufacturing education opportunities to talent across the country. If you are a business leader, city official or industry association interested in starting your own chapter of FAME, contact our team at FAME@nam.org.

AMT students will gain experience within a modern, advanced manufacturing floor environment and develop a multifaceted technical skillset. The practice areas include electricity, robotics, fluid power, mechanics, fabrication, industrial troubleshooting and more, as well as lessons that tackle the Manufacturing Core Exercises and Professional Behaviors. AMT graduates will receive an associate degree, 60-79 credit hours and 1,800 hours of on-the-job training and work experience that will launch their career as a manufacturing technician. AMTs are prepared for an accelerated career in maintenance upon graduation, but graduates seeking to continue their education can enroll in an advanced manufacturing business bachelor’s degree program that is fully aligned with FAME and delivered through our national partner Northwood University. AMT graduates can also pursue engineering or engineering technology bachelor’s degrees at the school of their choice.

Maintenance technicians play a vital role in modern manufacturing by maintaining and ensuring the machines and robotics operate efficiently. They use complex problem-solving skills combined with technical knowledge to service and repair the machines quickly and effectively. As manufacturing continues to advance and the use of advanced manufacturing technology increases, the need for skilled maintenance technicians increases.

Manufacturing is a hands-on industry, and because of that our training does require participants to complete in-person lessons. However, because of the unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed, we’ve adopted a hybrid virtual and in-person approach across all of our chapters in order to keep our students and instructors safe, and continue to provide best-in-class education and training that prepares our graduates for essential manufacturing jobs.

Once you meet the requirements listed above you can contact your local chapter by visiting the FAME-USA website, choose your designated chapter and apply!