DMG MORI, Illinois Tech plan advanced manufacturing center

Officials from DMG MORI and Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) announced their intention to establish a national center for advanced manufacturing, which aims to be one of the nation’s first joint university and industry academies to train, develop, and empower the advanced manufacturing workforces of the future.

The partners hope the national center will play a critical role in the nation’s goal of preparing the millions of workers needed to revive the advanced manufacturing industry in the United States, including the semiconductor industry. This national center will directly help the Chicago region become a hub for developing and supporting a local and national workforce of high-growth, high-paying, and high-tech manufacturing jobs. The national center will seek and will welcome a wide array of industry and higher education partners across Illinois and the region to ensure the greatest possible economic and workforce development impact.

Located at Illinois Tech’s historic Bronzeville campus on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, the national center’s academy will provide in-person and online curricula that are aligned with burgeoning industry workforce needs and important economic and national security priorities. The launch of the national center is ideally timed to help Illinois capitalize on the new programs and investments in the CHIPS Act by utilizing its industry and educational expertise to expand U.S. manufacturing. There is great support and enthusiasm for this uniquely specialized nexus of research and development and advanced manufacturing technologies:

“America’s advanced manufacturing industry needs one very important thing to keep growing: trained workers. As a Chicago native, I am thrilled that DMG MORI will help meet this need through our National Center for Advanced Manufacturing with Illinois Tech,” said James V. Nudo, chairman of DMG MORI Federal Services Inc.

“Chicago has long been an engine of technological opportunities for research, teaching, entrepreneurship, and engagement, and an attractive global destination for talent. We’re thrilled to be working with DMG MORI to cement Chicago as the center of a revitalized American manufacturing industry,” added Raj Echambadi, president of Illinois Institute of Technology:

To support manufacturing job growth in Chicago, the national center is focused on fueling the U.S. innovation workforce. Nearly 58% of all U.S. research and development takes place within the manufacturing sector – driving significant demand for master’s and Ph.D. graduates to fuel new technologies. To help meet this challenge, the academy aims to serve as an innovation engine for the region, broadening access to advanced manufacturing and semiconductor R&D and workforce opportunities through work-relevant, industry-customized master’s and doctoral degree programs.

In establishing this national center, Illinois Tech and Chicago-headquartered DMG MORI will pool their complementary capabilities to expand and modernize the manufacturing capabilities of the greater Chicago area and the Midwest in support of needs in the semiconductor, aerospace, defense, health care, and automotive industries.