Check out this episode of Industrial Talk featuring Penn State Associate Professor Dr. Paul Lynch.

Scott Mackenzie hosts the Industrial Talk podcast, celebrating industry professionals and their contributions. In this episode, he interviews Dr. Paul Lynch, who oversees the Metallurgical Engineering Trade Apprenticeship and Learning (METAL) program at Penn State Erie. Dr. Lynch discusses the importance of manufacturing in Erie, Pennsylvania, and the METAL program’s role in training the next generation of skilled workers. He emphasizes the need for hands-on training and collaboration between industry and academia to address the workforce shortage. The program aims to inspire interest in manufacturing careers and provide practical skills through boot camps and apprenticeships. Dr. Lynch also highlights the upcoming new center for manufacturing competitiveness at Penn State Erie.

Check out this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast featuring METAL Program Manager Mike Kubacki.

Manufacturers understand the skills gap: every day they recognize that do not have enough people or enough of the right people to execute the difficult and sometimes dirty, often dangerous tasks like pouring and forming molten materials, grinding or machining parts, treating and handling those parts, welding and finishing components and systems, etc. It’s more than a practical problem. It’s an economic and institutional crisis.

The Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship and Learning program (METAL) established by the Dept. of Defense in 2024 is moving fast to resolve it, setting up and coordinating practical training in critical disciplines for metal casting and metal forging processes at seven universities, and drawing in fresh minds who ensure that knowledge and practical understanding continue to be available to engineers and investors in the decades ahead of us.

Mike Kubacki, program manager for METAL describes the program and its progress.