2026 DCMA Business Journal - FINAL - Journal - Page 25
FAME: Earn While You Learn
Dallas College proudly participates in FAME
(Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education),
a nationally recognized, “earn and learn”
apprenticeship-style model originally developed by
Toyota and scaled nationally by the Manufacturing
Institute in 2019.
The Texas FAME – Dallas Chapter, serving North
Dallas, was created to build a strong pipeline of
skilled workers by partnering with industry and the
community to train current and future employees. The
DCMA serves as the host organization for the Texas
FAME – Dallas Chapter and includes industry members
such as Kircho昀昀 Automotive, Kraft Heinz, Plastipak
Packaging, Pregis North America, Zobele USA,
and Daisy Brand. Students can earn their Associate
in Applied Science (AAS) in Robotics & Industrial
Automation at the Dallas College Richland Campus
while working with local manufacturers. Additionally,
the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce hosts
the Texas FAME Metro360 Chapter, which services
southern Dallas residents and employers through a
FAME AAS in Electro Mechanical Technology o昀昀ered
at the Dallas College Mountain View Campus.
Through the FAME Earn and Learn Program,
students gain:
• Technical training
• Professional skill development
• Hands-on manufacturing experience
• Mastery of Manufacturing Core Exercises (MCEs),
such as:
• Safety culture
• Lean manufacturing
• Visual workspace organization
• Machine reliability
• Problem solving
The next phase is development of FAME Certi昀椀cate
Programs with support from grants from the
National Science Foundation and the Texas Reskilling
& Upskilling Education (TRUE) Initiative. Dallas
College will partner with the Manufacturing Institute
and the two local FAME Chapters to develop FAME
Certi昀椀cate Programs. In less than six months,
incumbent workers and students can earn industryaligned skills training with MCEs and embedded
industry certi昀椀cations from the Smart Automation
Certi昀椀cation Alliance (SACA). FAME Certi昀椀cate
students will be able to continue their training
through stackable pathway towards their AAS
degree.
Inclusive Opportunities for All
Dallas College is committed to serving diverse and
historically underserved populations, including:
• Unemployed and underemployed individuals.
• Adult learners and youth (ages 18–24).
• Veterans and military families.
• Formerly incarcerated individuals.
• High school students in dual enrollment and CTE
programs.
• High-functioning Level 1 autistic adults.
• Workers seeking career changes or upskilling
opportunities.
Spotlight: Uniquely Abled Academy –
Machining for Autistic Adults
One of the most innovative programs o昀昀ered is
the Uniquely Abled Academy, a fast-track, 15-week
certi昀椀cation designed for Level 1 high-functioning
autistic adults. Graduates gain:
• Entry-level machinist training.
• CNC mill and lathe operation skills.
• Durable soft skills for the workplace.
• Opportunities for employment at small to
medium machine shops.
Building the Future
Whether you’re a student looking to start a new
career or an employer seeking to invest in your
workforce, Dallas College o昀昀ers multiple paths for
collaboration:
• Stackable Certi昀椀cates leading to an associate’s
degree.
• Upskilling and customized training.
• Hiring students for co-ops, internships, or fulltime operator or technician roles.
• Partnering on grants and consortium
opportunities.
To Learn More or Get Involved:
• Contact Dr. Veronique Tran at AskMIT@
DallasCollege.edu
• Texas FAME – Dallas Chapter: GarlandChamber.com/
the-chamber/fame-program
• Texas FAME Metro360: GrandPrairieChamber.org/
texas-fame-metro360
DCMA Business Journal Page 25
