Workforce News

Manufacturers in Seguin, Texas, know firsthand that building a strong workforce takes investment. In 2022, the Caterpillar Foundation and other local employers launched a new Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) chapter with the support of the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s workforce development and education affiliate. Now, Caterpillar is collaborating with the MI and other organizations to expand their talent development efforts statewide.

The investment: Last week, Caterpillar announced its Texas workforce commitment as part of its five-year, $100 million Building the Future Workforce Initiative. The initial investment of up to $5 million will prepare current and future workers across Texas for advanced manufacturing and industry technician jobs.

• Texas is home to 6,630 Caterpillar employees across 17 facilities, including the 1.7-million-square-foot engine facility in Seguin, where the announcement took place.
• Partners like the MI, Texas State Technical College and Seguin Economic Development Corporation will help advance the effort.

Why it matters: As many as 1.9 million manufacturing jobs risk going unfilled by 2033 if the industry’s skills gap is not addressed. By collaborating with organizations like the MI, Caterpillar is investing in proven models to close that gap, securing a strong future for manufacturing.

• Founded by Toyota and led by the MI since 2019, FAME is a crucial part of many manufacturers’ workforce strategies, offering earn-and-learn apprenticeship programs that train their next generation of talent.

Pipelines at work: This isn’t Caterpillar’s first investment in Texas’ workforce. The Caterpillar Foundation helped launch the TX FAME Lone Star Chapter, opening apprenticeship-style pathways to advanced manufacturing careers in Seguin. The chapter was recently named a Top Performing FAME Chapter for its outstanding alignment with FAME’s rigorous standards.

• To open the chapter, the MI, the Caterpillar Foundation and other partners brought a TSTC satellite campus to Seguin. Demand has been so strong that TSTC is now building a permanent campus to train even more of the region’s manufacturing workforce.
• The Caterpillar Foundation also previously backed the MI’s Heroes MAKE America initiative, helping build new manufacturing pathways for veterans and transitioning service members.

Gov. Abbott takes note: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined the groundbreaking ceremony and celebrated the investment, which was covered by The Seguin Gazette, San Antonio Express-News and the local CBS affiliate.

The last word: “The Caterpillar Foundation’s investment in Seguin was the catalyst that built one of the strongest FAME chapters in the country,” said FAME USA National Director Tony Davis, who attended the announcement event. “Caterpillar’s commitment to workforce development changes lives, and we’re proud to keep growing this partnership across Texas.”