SHREVEPORT, La. — The Northwest Louisiana chapter of the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) recently celebrated the graduation of its latest class of students while welcoming a new cohort entering the two-year workforce development program.
Representatives from Benteler Steel/Tube and Ternium USA participated in a May 1 signing ceremony for students they will sponsor through the program. Frymaster and Pratt Paper will also sponsor members of the incoming class.
FAME, a work-study program developed by the Manufacturing Institute, operates through more than 40 chapters nationwide and prepares students for careers as multiskilled maintenance technicians. The role is in high demand among advanced manufacturing employers as facilities increasingly rely on automation and complex industrial systems.
On May 8, employer partners, students, families, alumni and representatives from Bossier Parish Community College and the North Louisiana Economic Partnership gathered to recognize the program’s newest graduates.
All graduates earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Bossier Parish Community College and completed multiple industry-recognized technical certifications. Two graduates plan to continue their education by pursuing engineering-related bachelor’s degrees, while all members of the graduating class received full-time employment offers from local manufacturers.
“We believe the success of a program like FAME comes from teaching not only high-demand technical skills but also the professional skills many employers find lacking in today’s talent pool,” said Angie White, chief operating officer of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership.
White said the program emphasizes workplace readiness skills such as punctuality, communication, initiative and professionalism alongside technical training.
The North Louisiana Economic Partnership serves as the hub organization for the Northwest Louisiana FAME chapter, coordinating operations and recruiting manufacturing employers to participate in the program.
Current employer partners include Benteler Steel/Tube, Bienville Lumber Company, Frymaster, Kronospan, Pratt Paper, Prolec GE and Ternium USA.
Program leaders said the initiative continues to strengthen the region’s workforce pipeline by providing manufacturers with trained maintenance technicians while offering students a direct pathway to employment in advanced manufacturing.