Workforce Development

The Robots Are Coming to IMTS. So Are the People Who'll Run Them.

As automation reshapes shopfloor roles, IMTS 2026 is doubling as a recruiting, training and retention event, matching new machines with the people who’ll run them.

Christina Fuges
Editorial Director, MoldMaking Technology

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Do Shops Need More Machinists or Better Tooling?

Consistent insert accuracy and repeatability can simplify machining, reduce scrap and help shops maintain production despite the skilled labor shortage.

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Inside a Next-Gen Aerospace Machine Shop Running 24/7 Lights-Out | Shop Tour

Lights-out manufacturing boosts throughput while ensuring machinists take on only the tasks that matter. Acutec Precision Aerospace knows this—and uses it as the foundation for an innovative, successful shop.

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IACMI Workforce Development Program Advances Talent Pipeline for Manufacturing Industry

America’s Cutting Edge (ACE) eclipses 20,000 online students and 5,000 in-person participants, underscoring the resurgence of interest in American manufacturing jobs.

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4 Key Growth Opportunities to Boost the CNC Machining Workforce

Use these insights on labor challenges and educational programs to address the machining workforce shortage. 

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Bridging the Blue-Collar Skills Shortage

With recent investment in the manufacturing industry, the skilled labor shortage is becoming more acute. A new AI-powered platform can help manufacturers find workers in unexpected places.

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Methods Machine Tools National Center of Excellence Enables Hands-On Technical Training

Methods Machine Tools Inc. establishes the National Center of Excellence to provide technical training for customers, team members and next-generation manufacturers.

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Production Machining's 2026 Emerging Leaders Nominations Now Open

Here’s your chance to highlight a young person in your manufacturing business who is on the path to be a future leader moving your company forward.

Derek Korn
Editor-in-Chief, Production Machining magazine

How I Made It: Clint Smith

Learn how Mastercam senior education market specialist Clint Smith jumped into a machining program after high school with no prior experience, and why he thinks the future of manufacturing is in good hands.

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How Manufacturing CEOs Are Rebuilding Strategy Amid Tariffs and Talent Gaps

Tariffs, shifting costs and talent gaps are reshaping the math for small and midsized manufacturers. Mike Sibley explains how smart CEOs are reworking pricing, workforce and investment decisions instead of waiting for stability.

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Paperless Parts AI Tool Enhances Quoting Accuracy for Job Shops

Paperless Parts introduces Requirements Review, powered by Wingman AI, to surface critical requirements and streamline collaboration for faster, more confident quoting.

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Tormach CNC Desktop Router Designed for Manufacturing Education

The xsTECH Pro CNC desktop router combines professional-level machining capabilities and features with a safe, approachable design that can fit seamlessly into classrooms, STEM labs and makerspaces.

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A Workforce Model Just in Time for Manufacturing Day: A Student Tech Center in “Rocket City”

As U.S. manufacturing jobs decline, Huntsville’s new Center for Technology shows how industry partnerships, CNC labs and Toyota funding are shaping a pipeline of skilled machinists and technicians.

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Finding the Human Connections in Human Resources

By working with its employees and its community, Win-Tech has found unexpected opportunities for employee retention and recruitment.

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IMCO POW-R-FEED M935
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How I Made It: Melissa Ramos, Owner, M95 Machining

Melissa Ramos’ career in manufacturing got off to a shaky start, but the self-taught machinist and owner of M95 has persisted and built her own shop. 

Julia Hider
Executive Editor, Modern Machine Shop

MC Machinery Technology Summit Showcases Manufacturing Innovations

MC Machinery Systems Inc. hosts the 2025 Technology Summit in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, featuring EDM, milling, automation and workforce strategies.

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Winning More than Prizes Through Manufacturing Competitions

Successfully overhauling its manufacturing competition has enabled the Northern Utah NTMA and its members to make more headway in other recruitment methods, too. But the most valuable lesson came from the students themselves.

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How I Made It: Montez King

From high schooler pushing a broom on a shop floor to executive director of the National Institute of Metalworking Standards (NIMS), a series of bold decisions have shaped Montez King’s career path.

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SPS Atlanta 2025 Addresses Manufacturing Challenges With Automation-Focused Solutions, Dynamic Education Programs

Taking place September 16-18, 2025, at the Georgia World Congress Center, the U.S. debut of Smart Production Solutions (SPS Atlanta) offers a focused platform to drive automation forward and reinforce American industrial strength.

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Preserve the Craft of Manufacturing as Technology Advances

As the industry continues to move toward a digital future, be sure to reinforce the core fundamentals right alongside it.

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How I Made It: Matt Erbach

One of only 10 teachers statewide to receive the 2025 Golden Apple Award, Matt Erbach earned the honor for his exceptional work teaching CNC machining and welding — a rare recognition for a career and technical educator. In this interview, Erbach shares how he transformed a neglected shop class into a cutting-edge manufacturing lab.

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Supfina
Q-Mark Manufacturing
Deep Drawing, Progressive Stamping, CNC Machining

9 Tips for Employee Recruitment, Training and Retention

Manufacturer SendCutSend has found success hiring former nurses, custodians, graphic designers and even a donut shop employee. Here are some of the secrets of its workforce development success.

Julia Hider
Executive Editor, Modern Machine Shop

Swiss Happens: 8 Swiss-Type Articles to Keep Your Skills Sharp

Learn the history of Swiss-type lathes, practical ways to implement these sliding-headstock machines in your shop, and much more in this collection of articles.

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Kyocera SGS Precision Tools Announces Leadership Succession

Tomoaki Hirano, currently serving as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, will succeed Tom Haag as president beginning July 1, 2025.

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Datanomix Expands AI Capabilities to Help Manufacturers Tackle Labor Shortages and Drive Smart Production

AI-powered features in FactoryMate, TMAC AI, and G-Code Cloud + DNC are designed to deliver real-time insights for production monitoring, job tracking and process control.

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Lessons That Matter for the Future of Automated Job Shops

The Automated Shop Conference (TASC, August 12–13) is designed for job shop leaders looking to implement automation in practical, high-impact ways — from lights-out machining to AI-driven programming and front-office integration. Here are 10 standout sessions led by shop owners, engineers and innovators who are pushing automation forward without massive budgets or unrealistic expectations. 

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Solving the Skills Gap Means Prioritizing Value Over Price

Manufacturing companies need to invest and add value to educational machine shop programs to solve the skilled labor gap.

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Certifying Manufacturing Student Programs and Parts

Not only do Van Buren Tech students walk out of the Advanced Manufacturing program with a certification, they have the verified setup and inspection sheets to show their work on a 10-part resume.

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