Advanced manufacturing companies face complex workforce challenges in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Apprenticeship is your proven solution for recruiting, training and retaining world-class manufacturing talent.
“Our CNC Machinist Apprenticeship program has been a core component in developing Hypertherm’s 21st century workforce. With our program partners, Hypertherm has to date educated and apprenticed over 450 CNC machine operators in the past seven years, allowing us to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations while keeping our manufacturing facilities within the United States.”
Matthew Burge, Leader of the Hypertherm Technical Training Institute, Hypertherm
High-Demand Apprenticeship Occupations

- Aerospace Engineer
- CNC Machine Operator
- Machinist
- Industrial Maintenance Repairer
- Tool and Die Maker
- Plastics Fabricator
To explore more apprenticeship occupations in the Advanced Manufacturing industry, view our Occupation Finder.
Competency-Based Occupational Frameworks
In collaboration with the Urban Institute, we offer national frameworks for occupations in this industry that are consensus based, meaning they are drafted in cooperation with employers, educators, and other workforce and training experts. Employers and businesses can use these frameworks to fast-track the development of their registered apprenticeships. The frameworks are competency based rather than time based, meaning that abilities are emphasized over memorized knowledge or skills. The result is high-quality, competency-based occupational frameworks (CBOFs) that are freely available for all to use. CBOFs are available for the following occupations:
Advanced Manufacturing Industry Resources
- Advanced Manufacturing Fact Sheet
- Manufacturing and Apprenticeship Toolkit
- Employer's Playbook for Building an Apprenticeship Program
- Minding the Gap: Investing in a Skilled Manufacturing Workforce
- Manufacturing Industry Competency Models
- Mentoring for Apprenticeship: Train-the-Trainer for On-the-Job Training
For more resources, program examples, and marketing materials, go to the Advanced Manufacturing Community of Practice page.