DOE opens applications for manufacturing assessment and training centers

The U.S. Department of Energy opened a new application round for its Industrial Training and Assessment Center program on October 2. The program provides no-cost technical assessments to small and medium-sized manufacturers while giving university faculty and students hands-on experience. DOE says the assessments identify an average of $150,000 in annual savings opportunities per facility, and that cumulative program savings have exceeded $1 billion since 1976.

For the next five-year period, the department will select universities to run traditional manufacturing centers and a second type focused on mining and mineral-processing operations. DOE says the current 36 centers will complete their latest five-year projects at the end of 2026 and that more than 2,400 students receive hands-on experience each year. Applications are due October 30. The savings and training totals are DOE-reported program figures, not a new independent impact assessment.