Jane Edwards 
- DOW has provided funding to help expand IACMI’s workforce development programs
- ACE and METAL will add several apprenticeships, internships and mobile training units nationwide
- Attend the Potomac Officers Club’s DOW summits this summer
IACMI – The Composites Institute has announced plans to expand its America’s Cutting Edge, ACE, and Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeships & Learning, or METAL, workforce development programs by adding 53 new sites across the U.S. by 2030 to expand access to manufacturing training and support emerging industries.
In a June 23 news release, the institute said the expansion is funded by the Department of War’s Office of Industrial Base Policy.
The Potomac Officers Club will host two DOW summits this summer. Sign up now for the 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30 to hear discussions on artificial intelligence, Golden Dome, commercial space relay and other defense technology priorities. You can also save your seat today for the 2026 Navy Summit on Aug. 27 to explore digital engineering, AI, autonomous systems and next-generation capabilities.
What Are the Details of IACMI’s Expansion Efforts?
In addition to the 53 new sites, IACMI intends to launch K-12 outreach efforts targeting more than 50,000 students and implement an internship program that will offer six- to eight-week placements at every site and training partner. IACMI is also rolling out a new curriculum, ACE METAL Foundations, which will use portable kits to introduce manufacturing, materials and design concepts to kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms, with a goal of reaching over 50,000 younger students by 2030.
IACMI intends to grow the ACE training footprint to 80 sites, with 15 of those opening in 2026 alone.
For the METAL program, the institute will double the initiative’s footprint through the expansion, adding several sites that include forging bootcamps. The organization plans to raise the number of METAL apprenticeships to more than 75 and internships to more than 350. IACMI will also field two new mobile training units — one built for K-12 students and another designed to bring METAL’s bootcamp training to rural communities.
What Is the ACE Program?
Launched in 2020, ACE is a DOW-backed workforce training program that started as a platform for computer numerical control machining instruction. It has since broadened to cover 11 additional course areas and grew to 43 sites nationwide by 2025.
The program seeks to reestablish U.S. leadership in the machine tool industry by combining IACMI’s workforce development capabilities with the University of Tennessee’s advanced training and techniques and the scientific expertise of the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
What Is the METAL Program?
METAL is a training program built around the casting and forging industries. Launched in 2023, it has reached 14 sites to date.
The DOW-supported program seeks to address workforce development needs in the metalworking and manufacturing sectors by providing hands-on training in forging, casting and metallurgy, with a focus on automation and modern manufacturing technologies.
What Did IACMI Officials Say About the Expansion?
“ACE and METAL have made a profound impact on the lives of thousands of people and the manufacturing industry at large,” said IACMI CEO Chad Duty. “With this expansion, we seek to further promote awareness of manufacturing careers and provide greater access to training, enabling people everywhere to acquire the skills necessary to join the workforce rapidly.”
Justin Brooks, deputy director of workforce development at IACMI, said rebuilding the industrial base requires rebuilding its workforce.
“This expansion is about creating a national system that reaches students early, connects training to real industry demand, and gives people clear pathways into the machining, casting, forging, and manufacturing careers that strengthen our economy and national security,” Brooks stated.
How Does the Expansion Align With DOW’s Industrial Base Efforts?
The expansion of IACMI’s workforce development programs follows other recent DOW initiatives aimed at strengthening the defense industrial base.
The DOW Office of Strategic Capital recently introduced the National Security Fund Finance program, which aims to provide capital support for credit funds that address gaps, shortages and vulnerabilities in the critical minerals supply chain. The department also selected 24 projects in the final round of fiscal year 2026 awards under the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program, pushing APFIT’s total awards to more than $2 billion. The latest APFIT round supports mission areas, including expeditionary manufacturing, electronic warfare, autonomous systems and contested logistics.
