NEMCC FAME Chapter Talks Bring Industry Leaders to Booneville

Regional industry leaders met Thursday at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville to talk about launching a NEMCC FAME chapter, a paid apprenticeship model that pairs college students with local manufacturers. The college announced the meeting in a post on its official Facebook page on Oct. 1.

FAME, short for the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, combines college coursework with paid on-the-job training. Northeast described it as a hands-on, “earn-while-you-learn” apprenticeship for students headed into manufacturing careers.

What a NEMCC FAME Chapter Could Mean

Paul Thomas, associate director of FAME expansion with the Manufacturing Institute, took part in the meeting to explain what a partnership could look like for the region. The college thanked everyone who attended, but it did not announce a launch date, the names of participating companies, or the size of a first class. Thursday’s session was a discussion of a possible partnership, not a final agreement.

If a chapter does form, Northeast would join a growing national network. FAME chapters are built around local employers, who sponsor students, give them paid work hours, and often hire them once they finish the program.

How the FAME Program Works

Toyota started FAME in 2010 in Kentucky to train maintenance technicians for its plant there, working with a nearby community college. Other manufacturers joined over the years, and in 2019 the program moved to the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, so it could grow nationally.

The program’s main track is the Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) associate degree. According to Mississippi FAME, the model typically includes:

• Classes at a partner community college combined with paid work at a sponsoring employer during the same week
• About two years (five semesters) of study leading to an associate of applied science degree
• Technical training in electricity, robotics, fluid power, mechanics, PLCs, and industrial troubleshooting
• Workplace skills such as safety culture, lean manufacturing, problem solving, and machine reliability

Mississippi FAME says students can earn as much as $33,500 over the two years, money that with planning can cover their education costs. Graduates finish with a degree and about two years of work experience.

FAME Already Has a Foothold in Northeast Mississippi

Mississippi already has a FAME chapter: the Iron Magnolia Chapter, based at Itawamba Community College in Tupelo. A chapter at Northeast would give manufacturers in Prentiss, Alcorn, Tishomingo, and nearby counties a training pipeline closer to home, and give students in the college’s district another path into well-paying technical jobs without taking on heavy debt.

Workforce training has been a steady theme around the region this fall, from mobile skilled-trades labs visiting local high schools to industrial projects in Corinth and Tishomingo County that will need skilled maintenance and production workers.

What Comes Next

Northeast has not said when a decision on a FAME chapter might come. Students, parents, and employers who want to know more can contact the college in Booneville or check its official Facebook page for updates. Alcorn News MS will report any announcement of a chapter launch or employer partners.

Related: Baldwyn High Students Explore Skilled Trades in Mobile Lab | Northeast Named Apple Distinguished School Through 2029

Source: Northeast Mississippi Community College (Facebook); background from Mississippi FAME