This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com. 

As part of its ongoing workforce development efforts, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber launched OKC FAME in fall 2024 to support the region’s growing manufacturing sector. As Oklahoma’s first chapter of the nationally recognized Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME), the program offers a two-year degree in engineering technology from Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, coupled with best-in-class manufacturing core curriculum from FAME, to provide students with technical and professional learning and real-world manufacturing experience.  

The 2024 Cohort is now in its final two semesters, with five Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) candidates, who will graduate from the program in May of 2026. The 2025 cohort launched in August and is now nearly halfway through its first semester with its latest group of students. This class features seven students working with three employers: Climate Control Group, IDEX and AAE, which joined the program this year. 

Lee Copeland, director of talent and business growth at the Chamber, shared his insight on the program. 

“It’s exciting to see the numerical growth of this year’s cohort, alongside the professional growth of the students in their second year of the program,” Copeland said. “Knowing that similar growth in technical knowledge, professional presence and industry expertise is really exciting.” 

The program is also looking for new employer partners, Copeland shared. “We are continuing to seek new employer partners to join our chapter and begin to work on growing their own high-tech talent. Our hope is to add three or four new employers and double our enrollment by the launch of the 2026 cohort.” 

The FAME model pairs classroom instruction with paid, hands-on experience at local companies. Students split their time between coursework and on-the-job training while learning additional skills tied to production, manufacturing, maintenance and more. 

“OSU-OKC started this FAME chapter with the idea of bringing in students who can gain both educational experience and work experience while getting paid,” said OSU-OKC Engineering Technologies Department Head Dr. Oscar Rodriguez, program leader. “These are students who are trainable and will be a good fit for the company that they work for. On top of their normal coursework, they receive special Instruction from the Toyota Production system, which provides them skills on top of their education that have to do with safety, quality production, manufacturing, problem solving, maintenance and reliability. Those are things that we add to the program.” 

The Chamber supports OKC FAME as a tool to develop OKC’s manufacturing workforce. With each new cohort, demand grows for more employers to join the program and provide students with training opportunities.  

Manufacturers who partner with OKC FAME gain access to a pipeline of motivated, trained workers while helping shape the skills students bring to the workplace. Interested companies can connect with the Chamber or OSU-OKC to learn how to get involved. 

OKC FAME is not only an opportunity for employers; it’s a transformative pathway for students looking to launch a career in modern manufacturing. Whether students are just out of high school, looking to upskill or pursuing a career change, OKC FAME offers a unique combination of education and experience that prepares them for in-demand roles in Oklahoma’s growing manufacturing sector. 

For more information, visit the OKC FAME website, OSU-OKC’s website or contact Lee Copeland, director of talent programs and partnerships at the Chamber, via phone at 405-297-8803 or via email at lcopeland@okcchamber.com.