Project MFG expands operations to Martin City

By Brad Ziegler

With all of the recent discussions about bringing back manufacturing to the United States, questions have arisen about the adequacy of an experienced workforce to meet the needs of domestic manufacturers if those efforts were successful.

A local organization, Project MFG, has developed an innovative effort to promote training, skills development and employment in the manufacturing sector at a time when workforce shortages are projected to limit future growth. They host competitions throughout the country in the areas of welding, machining, manufacturing and maritime welding. While their work began just five years ago, they now host 35 competitions and educational events a year in 29 different states.

Project MFG is headquartered in Kansas City and they have added warehouse and operations space in Martin City to allow them to continue to expand their operations.

Amy Moyer, Senior Marketing Communications Manager with Project MFG, explained that the Martin City space is being used as an operational hub for their competition materials, project kits and shipping and receiving needs. “Having this located near major highways and out of downtown makes sense for us and makes shipping easier and more convenient.”

Project MFG’s mission is to elevate the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals by changing mindsets, fostering community preparedness, and challenging how the critical skills needed to succeed in modern advanced manufacturing are taught.

The National Association of Manufacturers has reported that there are currently nearly a half million job openings in the manufacturing sector across the country. These jobs are highly paid positions, averaging more than $100,000 in pay and benefits. NAM reports that more than three quarters of the manufacturing workforce in the United States is working for small companies of twenty employees or less and they project more than three million job openings in the manufacturing sector over the next decade, due to retirements and expansion of the industry. Project MFG aims to help fill those openings with skilled young people who have participated in their programs and learned about the opportunities that the manufacturing industry offers.

Project MFG recently completed their first National Machining League Championship at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleview, Illinois. The championship pitted more than 100 top high school students from 45 schools across the United States and Canada. Participants qualified at their respective schools, where they completed a National Machining
League kit that was judged utilizing state of the art equipment that measured the accuracy and craftsmanship of their work. Competitors at the national competition showcased their machining and CNC skills and vied for top prizes that totaled nearly $20,000.

Project MFG’s National Welding League championships are coming up in June at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. Similar to the National Machining League Championship, high school competitors participated in qualifying rounds at the participants’ schools where they fabricated projects from kits provided by the League. The projects were judged through an online platform with the highest finishers moving on to regional competitions in early 2025, where they competed to travel to Michigan for the national championship. The 2024 championships in Pennsylvania drew 289 participants from more than 100 schools and the 2025 event will be even larger.

Project MFG’s flagship events culminate with the Advanced Manufacturing Competition, coined the Clash of Trades, a reality television style competition broadcast on YouTube. Season five of Clash of Trades is scheduled to begin in July and will feature a space theme with projects involving compact satellites designed to a standard size and shape and commonly utilized for research and educational purposes.

Earlier this spring, Project MFG collaborated with the Hawaii State Department of Education, the US Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program and the US Navy to hold a maritime welding competition and career exploration day in Kapolei, Hawaii. The competition not only showcased the student’s welding skills but also exposed them to high paying career opportunities in their future.

Project MFG also hosts youth welding challenges to spur interest in the manufacturing industry in even younger kids to build interest in high school programs and competitions. They partner with other youth programs like Weld Like a Girl to expand the diversity of the students pursuing manufacturing careers.

Moyer emphasized that, despite the success of their competitions and the excitement that they create, “Project MFG is more than a competition. We use the competitions to showcase the skills needed in today’s advanced manufacturing, but the competitions and Project MFG Connect opens doors to even larger conversations about manufacturing with local students, industry experts, training programs, and even job opportunities.”