National center for next generation manufacturing (ncngm)

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded $7.5 million to Edadvance on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (NCNGM), a renewal award funding operations through September 30, 2031.

NCNGM develops and disseminates industry-driven resources and professional development for community college educators and partners in advanced manufacturing technician education. The center operates five discipline-specific innovation hubs—advanced manufacturing, fabrication, processing, smart manufacturing, and biomanufacturing—each led by community college faculty and industry experts. The center coordinates with Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILTs) to identify competencies required in each subdiscipline and shares findings through a community of practice, summits, webinars, and a public repository. A convergence collaborative engages NSF Advanced Technological Education centers specializing in artificial intelligence, immersive technologies, and cybersecurity to broaden reach across the network of community and technical colleges. The award expands upon the center's prior work since 2021, which reached over 360 community colleges, and aims to deepen impact and solidify partnerships among manufacturing educators, industry organizations, and other stakeholders.

Edadvance, a nonprofit educational services organization based in Litchfield, Connecticut, serves as the recipient. Work is performed in Litchfield, Connecticut.

Abstract

The national center for next generation manufacturing (ncngm) addresses advanced manufacturing technician education offered by community college educators in partnership with industry and other stakeholders. The center is closing the skills GAP in the industry, which requires highly trained technicians to operate and maintain technologies such as robots, computers, artificial intelligence (AI), and precision equipment. The center is changing the public image of manufacturing from low-skilled, unfulfilling work to rewarding, well-paying careers. The center's robust national network of community and technical colleges, industry, and other organizations is helping to secure the skilled workforce that american manufacturing needs to compete globally. Since 2021, the center has reached over 360 community colleges. This renewal award will broaden the reach and deepen the impact. Ncngm's goals include broadening and solidifying a network of manufacturing education and industry partners; developing and disseminating industry-driven resources for AI applications in advanced manufacturing technician education; coordinating professional development for educators; and promoting awareness of advanced manufacturing careers. The center structures its technical work through five discipline-specific innovation hubs (advanced manufacturing, fabrication, processing, smart manufacturing, and biomanufacturing), each led by community college faculty and industry experts. A convergence collaborative engages NSF ATE centers and consortia specializing in AI, immersive technologies, and cybersecurity. Knowledge, skills, and abilities are developed through the business and industry leadership teams (bilts), which convene industry representatives to identify the competencies needed in each subdiscipline. Findings are shared through the center's community of practice, summits, webinars, and a public repository. In partnership with the NSF-funded national applied artificial intelligence consortium (naaic), ncngm is embedding AI literacy and applied AI competencies across all goals and hubs, preparing community college graduates for the industry 4.0 and 5.0 workforce. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.