The Trump administration has announced the launch of an educational program to prepare Americans for manufacturing jobs. The effort is part of the Trump administration’s initiative to bring back domestic manufacturing.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the training program, known as Foundry School, to prepare entrepreneurs, engineers, technicians, and industrial leaders for the workforce.
“American manufacturers will need an estimated 3.8 million skilled workers by 2033 in semiconductors, defense, energy, and beyond,” the State Department shared.
Foundry School will focus on advancing President Donald Trump’s reindustrialization agenda by investing in training prospective personnel.
Welcome to the Foundry School!
Putting American workers first. A first-of-its-kind workforce program building the talent behind America’s manufacturing comeback. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/rQ3NACLnge
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 3, 2026
Foundry School's Curriculum
The State Department and Congress, in collaboration with the Pax Silica economies, are partnering with Stanford University to develop the program’s curriculum.
Pax Silica is the State Department’s flagship economic effort to secure global supply chains for artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and critical minerals. The coalition consists of 24 other member countries and 3 observer nations.
The other schools collaborating with the program include:
- Arizona State University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- The Ohio State University
- The Pennsylvania State University
- The University of Kansas
- Vanderbilt University
- Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
The curriculum is set to take place over two phases. Starting in Sept. 2026, the aforementioned schools will host sessions covering:
- The fundamentals of modern factory design
- Materials and supply chains
- Assembly-line engineering
- Plant economics
- Regulation and Permitting
- Workforce development at scale
Following up, in Jan. 2027, Stanford University will provide a 10-session core program to reinforce the first phase with advanced manufacturing capabilities. These include:
- Precision tooling
- Industrial automation
- Quality systems
- New product introduction
- Digital manufacturing
- Capital equipment
- Energy
- Global site selection
- Defense production
“Foundry School connects students and workers directly with the companies building and operating manufacturing facilities,” the State Department affirmed.
