Five high schools and a career center have been selected to participate this year’s Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME) program sponsored by the SME’s Education Foundation.
The program creates connections between manufacturing, high school students, educators and industry leaders to grow and train the next generation workforce, according to Josh Cramer, senior educational program officer for the SME Education Foundation.
“In just a few years, the PRIME model has proven its value and success,” Cramer said in an SME news release. “To date, roughly three-quarters of PRIME graduates enter the manufacturing field or pursue manufacturing or STEM-related post-secondary education and training. This validates the belief that engaging high school students and providing them with hands-on access to manufacturing curriculum and tools can drive interest in pursuing degrees to support the industry.”
The schools that were selected are:
- Capital High School, Helena, Montana.
- Jeffersontown High School, Louisville, Kentucky.
- John Glenn High School, Norwalk, California.
- Middleton High School, Tampa, Florida.
- Rocklin High School, Rocklin, California.
- Tri Rivers Career Center, Marion, Ohio.
The schools will receive funding for equipment, software and professional development as well as manufacturing camps, extracurricular activities and scholarship opportunities.
Launched in 1991, the PRIME program provides access to real-life manufacturing education and tools.