Tooling U-SME Recognizes Five Community Colleges and Technical Schools as Models in Manufacturing Education

CLEVELAND, Oct. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In celebration of Manufacturing Day and the significant role of manufacturing in today's global society, Tooling U-SME, a leader in manufacturing learning and development, is recognizing community and technical colleges across the United States with its Tooling U-SME Platinum Education Center (TUPEC) award. The honor is given to institutions considered to be outstanding academic models for the advancement of the manufacturing industry.

The schools enhance the professional development of students by creatively using online and hands-on training in a blended learning format to help develop a skilled and qualified future manufacturing workforce.  

"These five schools, like our 27 past recipients, exemplify the spirit of the TUPEC awards," said Toni Neary, education specialist for Tooling U-SME's Government and Education Group. "We applaud the instructors and schools that make practical use of technology and state-of-the-art equipment to prepare our future manufacturing workforce. These programs are not just educating, but inspiring the next generation."

Since 2012, Tooling U-SME has recognized exceptional two-year and technical schools that embrace flexibility, high-quality content and efficiencies in teaching skills that students need to become valuable members of the manufacturing workforce. Students who graduate from these schools are better prepared for manufacturing careers, providing immediate value to the companies that hire them.

2015 TUPEC award recipients:

• Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, North Carolina
• Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, Ohio
• Edgecombe Community College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
• Lower Columbia College, Longview, Washington
• West Georgia Technical College, Waco, Georgia

"There are many great community colleges and technical schools that work diligently to level set students with the skills needed to be successful in the manufacturing industry," said David Bredenbeck, program manager, Precision Machining and Apprenticeship at Cuyahoga Community College, one of the schools receiving this year's TUPEC award. "We are honored to be recognized as an educational leader working to help close the skills gap."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that nearly 3.5 million skilled manufacturing workers may be needed to fill the talent pipeline within the next ten years. Unfortunately, two million of those jobs are expected to go unfilled due to a shortage of workers with the skills necessary to operate in an advanced manufacturing environment. Manufacturing companies can look to community colleges and technical schools for innovative training programs that produce highly skilled candidates for employment in their sector.

For more information about Tooling U-SME, email [email protected] or visit toolingu.com.

About Tooling U-SME
Tooling U-SME delivers versatile, competency-based learning and development solutions to the manufacturing community, working with more than half of all Fortune 500® manufacturing companies, as well as educational institutions across the country. Tooling U-SME partners with customers to build high performers who help their companies drive quality, productivity, innovation and employee satisfaction. A division of SME, an organization that connects people to manufacturing solutions, Tooling U-SME can be found at toolingu.com, facebook.com/toolingu or follow @ToolingU on Twitter.

SOURCE SME

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