Workforce Development
Who Runs the Robots? The Answer Is on the Floor Today.
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
Certus Electrical Simulations Drive Safer Training, Upskilling
IMTS 2026: Technical skills training and compliance solutions specialist Certus is highlighting its Electrical Simulations program for safer upskilling.
Read MoreHow I Made It: Allison Giddens, Co-President of Win-Tech
Allison Giddens started at Win-Tech in 2006 with no manufacturing background. Today, she helps run the company, leads workforce development programs and advocates for small businesses in government policy development.
Read MoreProduction 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.
Read MoreHow 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.
Read More9 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.
Read MoreDo 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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Student Summit Energizes the Future Workforce
The Smartforce Student Summit brings together thousands of students and educators to discover careers in manufacturing technology.
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.
Read MoreIACMI 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.
Read More4 Key Growth Opportunities to Boost the CNC Machining Workforce
Use these insights on labor challenges and educational programs to address the machining workforce shortage.
Read MoreBridging 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.
Read MoreMethods 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.
Read MoreHow 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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Get the Signal, Not the Noise with Manufacturing Connected
Gardner's new industrial intelligence platform gives manufacturers curated access to the data, tools and reporting behind better decisions. See it this week at the Shop Zone booth, front of the West Building.
Stephanie Hendrixson
Editor-in-Chief, Additive Manufacturing | Manufacturing Connected
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.
Read MorePaperless 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.
Read MoreTormach 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.
Read MoreA 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.
Read MoreFinding 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.
Read MoreMC 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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IMTS 2026 Editors’ Picks
In addition to more than 1,800 exhibitors, IMTS 2026 features a packed schedule of attractions and events. Here’s what the editors of Modern Machine Shop think you shouldn’t miss.
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.
Read MoreHow 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.
Read MoreSPS 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.
Read MorePreserve 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.
Read MoreHow 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.
Read MoreSwiss 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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