The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), the Composites Institute, has awarded Texas State University a three-year, $1 million grant to establish the Metallurgical Engineering, Trades, Apprenticeship and Learning (METAL) program.
METAL will be administered by the Department of Engineering Technology. The goal of METAL is to train people to work in the metal casting, forging, and forming industries through free online training and in-person boot camps and workshops. These industries form the backbone of the manufacturing sector in Texas and the United States.
“We are very excited to join and contribute to the METAL network and to be able to provide these high-quality training opportunities to our students and the people of the state of Texas,” said Luis Trueba, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Technology.
American Foundry Society studies show that in Texas alone, the metal casting industry contributes more than $5.2 billion to the economy and is responsible for 20,535 jobs.
The METAL program will allow TXST to offer four bootcamps per year. Each bootcamp provides one week of hands-on training at no cost to the participants. The only prerequisite for participation is the completion of the free, online training modules ahead of the bootcamp.
In the bootcamp, students will learn about a wide variety of topics related to metal casting including casting and tooling design, process simulation, heat treatment, and finishing.
Participants will also learn about metal rolling and forging.
Participants completing the program will earn relevant industry credentials which can be used to further their careers.
For more information, visit txst.edu/technology/programs/etprogram/metal.html.