NEINFAME welcomes a new class with “Signing Day” event

April 29, 2022, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA—Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne and the Northeast Indiana Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (NEINFAME) welcomed their newest class of recruits at their annual Signing Day event Friday. 

The event featured 12 graduating high school seniors from throughout northeast Indiana signing their intent to participate in the next two-year cohort of the NEINFAME program beginning in the 2022–23 school year. 

Founded in 2019, the NEINFAME program connects area students with employer partners to sponsor their pursuit of a two-year degree; sponsors provide selected students with a paid work experience working part-time—with a focus on developing critical professional skills—while attending classes. Sponsors and employer partners of the NEINFAME program are AMT, Fort Wayne Metals, LH Industries, Micropulse, Steel Dynamics and ZimmerBiomet. 

“We are thrilled to welcome this amazing group of students to the program,” said Jeff Hansen, Chair of the NEINFAME Chapter and Vice President of HR at Steel Dynamics. “The Northeast Indiana FAME program was formed to create manufacturing opportunities for area students. Not only does it provide them a pathway to a career in advanced manufacturing, it also allows sponsor companies to collaborate and grow Northeast Indiana’s regional talent pool, resulting in a positive outcome for local students, our community and our employer members.”

“This is such an exciting and inspirational day for everyone involved,” added Dr. Kim Barnett-Johnson, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne and Warsaw. “It symbolizes the importance of developing and retaining skilled talent for our region.”

The NEINFAME program is open to any graduating high school senior or anyone interested in a degree and career in advanced manufacturing.