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Launched in 2023, METAL (Metallurgical Engineering Trades, Apprenticeships & Learning) is a national workforce development initiative led by IACMI – The Composites Institute® and funded by the U.S. Department of War’s Office of Industrial Base Policy aimed at providing high-quality, hands-on training in the metalworking and manufacturing sectors. METAL is expanding the pipeline of skilled workers needed to strengthen America’s manufacturing base and defense industrial workforce through education, hands-on training, apprenticeships, internships and industry partnerships.

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METAL Mission Statement

We envision a future where the U.S. casting and forging industry thrives with a skilled and robust workforce, securing our nation’s defense industrial base. By accelerating the development of a highly-skilled, adaptive workforce, METAL (Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning) is unleashing the transformative power of technology and innovation to revitalize American manufacturing.

At its core, METAL embodies a philosophy of boundless possibility. It dares to envision a future where the fusion of cutting-edge training, continuous learning, and audacious thinking can solve even the most complex challenges facing our nation. From the heart of American industry to the frontiers of space exploration, METAL is creating a new generation of metallurgical professionals ready to shape the 21st century.

The U.S. casting and forging industry faces a pressing workforce shortage, threatening the stability of our defense supply chain. By 2028, we need an additional 122,000 skilled professionals, including skilled trades, engineers, and other critical roles. Our dependency on foreign sources for essential materials poses a significant risk to our national security. METAL is our answer to this challenge, providing the necessary training and education to build a self-sustaining workforce.

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About METAL

Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL), led by IACMI, is an industry-driven initiative aimed at providing high-quality, hands-on training in the metalworking and manufacturing sectors. The program is designed to address workforce development needs by offering comprehensive curricula in casting, forging and metallurgy, with an emphasis on automation and modern manufacturing technologies.

About IACMI (Shortened Version)

IACMI – The Composites Institute® is a national public-private partnership focused on advancing composite materials and process technologies. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of War, IACMI brings together over 170 members from industry, academia, and government to drive manufacturing innovation and workforce development.

About IACMI (Official/Long Version)

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) is dedicated to securing U.S. global leadership in advanced manufacturing by connecting people, ideas, and technology. IACMI is a 170-plus member community of industry, academic institutions, and government organizations working to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, with a strong focus on technology, commercialization, and workforce development. Established in 2015 by the Department of Energy, IACMI is one of 18 Manufacturing USA® Institutes collaborating to accelerate new technology, create new products, reduce costs and risks, and equip the workforce with future-ready skills. IACMI also partners with the Department of War to scale up industry-driven job skills and revitalize American manufacturing. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation, a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. www.IACMI.org

Executive Bios and Headshots

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Chad Duty, Chief Executive Officer at IACMI

Chad Duty is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, or IACMI – The Composites Institute), a role he assumed April 1, 2023. IACMI is a U.S. Department of War (DoW)-sponsored public/private partnership targeting high-volume applications of composites in energy-related industries.

A professor in the Mechanical, Aerospace & Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Chad also holds a joint faculty appointment with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

He has over 20 years of research experience in advanced manufacturing – spanning technologies in thin film processing, printed electronics, solar energy, and additive manufacturing of polymer composites. Before joining UT, Chad served as a research scientist and group leader at ORNL and helped to establish the DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL. Duty began his career as a senior aeronautical engineer at Lockheed Martin.

He has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech.

Andrew Pokelwaldt, Director of Education and Workforce at IACMI

Andrew Pokelwaldt is the IACMI Director of Education and Workforce. He has extensive training and workforce experience, including Composites Instruction Credentials (CCT-I), marine manufacturing, project management, and technical writing for composites manufacturing. Andrew’s previous roles included Corporate Technical Training Manager at Newell Brands, where he led workforce programs across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Director of Workforce Training and Credentialing at the American Composites Manufacturing Association (ACMA) and as Training and Development Manager at Brunswick Recreational Boat Group in Knoxville. He has small business experience, owning a veteran-owned professional consulting, training, and project management practice. In addition to his civilian career, he is a former dual-career retired military combat veteran, having served 23 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army in both active-duty and reserve capacities.

Mike Kubacki, METAL Program Director at IACMI

Mike Kubacki brings nearly 20 years of manufacturing expertise from the aerospace and defense industry.  He became a subject-matter expert in ultrasonic wire bonding for microelectronics, rising from operator to supervisor to process engineer.  After serving as a Project Manager, Kubaki is now the Director of the METAL program at IACMI, leading workforce development efforts and bolstering national defense by strengthening the workforce in the casting, forging, and plate rolling industries. His experience fuels a passion for advancing industry skills and innovation.

Jeff Ledington, Communication Specialist

Ledington serves as Communications Specialist for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI, also known as IACMI – The Composites Institute), where he supports the Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program.

Ledington brings nearly a decade of communications experience to METAL as a journalist, grant writer, technical writer, and External Affairs Specialist with FEMA, and has also spent time on a factory floor. He is an alum of the AmeriCorps VISTA and NCCC programs. Ledington holds a bachelor’s of interdisciplinary studies in business and communications from UT-Martin and a master’s in strategic and digital communication from UT-Knoxville.

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