Change Your Life With FAME USA
Ready for a well-paying career with attractive benefits right now?
FAME is a paid experience training program that prepares you for the manufacturing careers of tomorrow, today.
What is FAME?
The Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, within the Manufacturing Institute, is the premier advanced manufacturing workforce education and development program. FAME helps students become highly skilled, globally competitive, well-rounded and sought-after talent that can meet the unique needs and challenges of today’s modern manufacturing workforce. Every year, FAME graduates’ transition into well-paying, diverse career pathways in critical disciplines across the manufacturing industry and across the country.
Those enrolled into the FAME Program will start a work/study program to earn an associate degree and certification as an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT). FAME Students attend classes at a local community college two days a week (8 hours or more each day) and will work at least 24 hours a week (8 hours or more each day for three days) for a local, sponsoring employer – being paid a competitive wage.
As a participant in the AMT Program, you will engage in hands-on training and education to develop you as a well-rounded worker, including:
Technical Manufacturing Skills
Mastering a multiskilled technical skill set, including electricity, robotics, fluid power, mechanics, fabrication (welding and machining), industrial troubleshooting, and more.
Manufacturing Core Exercises
These exercises will prepare you to contribute to a safe and highly efficient, cost effective workplace. These include Safety Culture, Visual Workplace Organization, Lean Manufacturing, Problem Solving, and Machine Reliability.
Professional Behaviors
Work Attendance, Initiative, Diligence, Interpersonal Relations, Teamwork, and Verbal and Written Communication will provide you with critical skills and capabilities to be a successful and accomplished employee.
FAME is Right for You if You Are...
Ready to take the first step towards a successful, well-paying career path?
FAME Program Completion
Upon completion of your apprenticeship students earn:
- An Associate degree (2-year college degree)
- At least 60 credit hours
- Approximately 2 calendar years/1,800 hours of on-the-job training and work experience
- Potentially zero student-loan debt so that you can graduate college debt free
- Opportunity for full-time employment with a sponsoring employer
- The opportunity to continue your education in an Advanced Manufacturing Business
- Northwood University recognizes 60 credits to apply towards a bachelor of science in Lean Operations & Supply Chain Management, or in Applied Management
- The opportunity to continue your education in an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer or Engineering Technician with a participating university
FAME USA Locations
FAME is driving the future of the manufacturing industry by building cohesive cooperatives of manufacturers to implement this proven model of skilled training.
Pick your location and apply today!
FAME Program FAQs for Students
Candidates for FAME should be career-oriented, academically prepared students seeking rewarding work who thrive within highly regimented, hands-on programs and are aiming to advance quickly in their career. All participants must be college-ready high school graduates interested in pursuing a concentrated two-year, debt-free degree and looking to gain a practical set of valuable and transferable technical skills.
The ideal candidate is a college-ready high school graduate interested in pursuing a concentrated two-year, debt-free degree and looking to gain a practical set of valuable and transferable technical skills. Students must be 18 or older upon entering their first semester. FAME also accepts incumbent workers looking to change their career path and veterans who would like to work in the manufacturing industry.
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. AMT Technicians typically receive starting salaries between 50,000 and 60,000 and have demonstrated salary growth year after year. They use complex problem-solving skills combined with technical knowledge such as, electricity, robotics, fluid power, mechanics, fabrication, industrial troubleshooting and more, to service and repair machines.
Manufacturing is a hands-on industry, and because of that our training does require participants to complete in-person lessons. AMT is an in-person program dedicated to preparing students for a career in manufacturing where graduates will perform in an in-person work environment.
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!