QUINCY, Ill. — John Wood Community College celebrated the next generation of advanced manufacturing professionals during the Great River Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) Signing Ceremony on Wednesday, July 15, at the JWCC Workforce Development Center.
Eight students officially signed letters of intent with six regional manufacturing employers as they begin the Great River FAME program, an earn-while-you-learn partnership that combines paid work experience with classroom instruction.
Great River FAME is a regional chapter of FAME USA, a national workforce development program that develops highly skilled manufacturing technicians. The program is a partnership among JWCC, FAME USA, the Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF) and regional employers ADM, DOT Foods, Gardner Denver, General Mills, Knapheide, and Titan International.
Students in the program work three days each week with a sponsoring employer while attending classes at JWCC two days per week to earn an Associate in Applied Science in Advanced Manufacturing Technology. The curriculum emphasizes advanced manufacturing principles, automation, robotics, programmable logic controllers, safety and professional behaviors.
The following students signed letters of intent with their employer sponsors:
ADM
DOT Foods
Knapheide
Titan International
The ceremony featured remarks from JWCC President Dr. Aron Potter and was emceed by Madison Peters, Vice President of the GREDF. Company representatives joined each student in signing letters of intent, recognizing their shared commitment to workforce development and advanced manufacturing education.
Family members, faculty, employer partners and community members attended the ceremony to celebrate the students as they begin the next step in their education and careers.
For more information about the Great River FAME program, visit jwcc.edu/FAME or contact Gavin Ideus at gideus@jwcc.edu
