Ten years ago, Toyota Motor North America’s (TMNA) Dennis Dio Parker was among those who helped launch the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky (TMMK). Some 400 employers in partnership with 36 community colleges and universities across 13 states have replicated it since.
But it wasn’t until last fall — when Opportunity America released the results of its 18-month study of the program — that Parker and his many collaborators could say for certain that their efforts are in fact equipping entry-level workers with the skills to flourish in today’s increasingly advanced technology workplace.
The numbers are staggering:
80% — That’s the number of FAME participants who completed their program of study, compared with 29% of other students in similar programs.
$98,000 — That’s the median earnings of FAME participants five years after graduation, compared to $52,783 for non-FAME technical graduates.
97% — That’s how many FAME participants felt the program was the right decision for them and would recommend it to a close friend or relative.
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