Hardware Podcasts

Chocolate Castings, Apprenticeships and the Future of Manufacturing Careers w/ Mike Kubacki

The Manufacturing Executive · 4 Nov 2025 · Episode 282

What this episode covers

Mike Kubacki, a project coordinator at IACME (Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation), discusses the critical workforce shortage in the US casting and forging industries, which he frames as a national security risk given that 92% of specialized defense end items rely on these processes. He details the METAL program (Metallurgical Engineering, Trades, Apprenticeship, and Learning), which uses an inverted pyramid strategy to engage K-12 students through events like chocolate casting and Tin Man builds, leading to hands-on boot camps for older students. Kubacki highlights successful apprenticeship models, citing Goodwin Castings' 95% retention rate and Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry's expansion, while urging manufacturers to connect frontline work to real-world impact to improve recruitment and retention.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
IACME, Goodwin Castings, Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, Jobs for the Future, Guerrilla 76
Products
METAL, America's Cutting Edge

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