Arizona State University leads national initiative to train next generation of manufacturing workers

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Arizona State University (ASU) has been selected as one of eight institutions to lead a groundbreaking national initiative aimed at training the next generation of American manufacturing workers. The initiative, known as the Foundry School, was announced yesterday in Washington, D.C., by Vice President J.D. Vance, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Foundry School is designed to develop and train the workforce essential for advancing American manufacturing. President Michael Crow of ASU joined Vice President Vance, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, and other university presidents to celebrate the launch. ASU students from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering were also present to witness the announcement.

"ASU is excited to be part of this effort to ensure the United States remains a global leader in manufacturing," said President Crow. "We are committed to creating the conditions necessary to train the next generation of entrepreneurs, engineers, and industrial leaders."

The Foundry School will foster deep collaboration among industry, government, and higher education. Over the course of 17 sessions, founders and CEOs from advanced manufacturing enterprises will share practical expertise, covering topics such as materials, precision production, automation, supply chains, factory economics, and industrial leadership. These experts will come from the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and India.

ASU brings critical infrastructure, both physical and human, to this initiative. The university's state-of-the-art facilities and robust industry partnerships enable the training of a large manufacturing workforce. ASU's Fulton Schools of Engineering, the largest engineering school in the country with nearly 33,000 students, are well-positioned to contribute to this national effort. The School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, housed in the 173,000-square-foot ISTB12 facility, provides students with the skills needed for advanced manufacturing.

"This partnership places our students and emerging builders alongside industry leaders who are solving complex problems every day," said Kyle Squires, dean of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. "Our faculty are uniquely positioned to teach engineers to see the whole system, from design to production."

The federal government will support the initiative by aligning resources, convening partners, and developing workforce pathways. Stanford University, along with ASU, the Ohio State University, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, Penn State, Georgia Tech, and the University of Kansas, will lead this national effort.

ASU's involvement in the Foundry School is part of its broader commitment to training and advancing manufacturing. The university ranks No. 2 among U.S. public universities for graduate employability, according to the Global Employability University Ranking and Survey. Its graduates are known for practical skills, digital literacy, and job readiness, making them highly sought after by employers worldwide.

This new national effort aims to turn the resurgence of American manufacturing into an enduring capability by developing a workforce equipped with both technical knowledge and an understanding of how advanced industrial enterprises are built, operated, and scaled.