About SparkForce, the FMA Foundation

Our Mission

To keep manufacturing in America vital, the industry needs a workforce that is increasing in numbers and prepared to keep pace with advances in technology. SparkForce has responded to the call with programs designed to fill the pipeline of skilled workers.

Manufacturing camps reach students at a young enough age when their career choices can be influenced, and their education can include the foundational training necessary to excel. SparkForce scholarships assist and support those post-secondary students who have already discovered manufacturing and want to pursue the advanced training needed for industry careers. From its beginning through today, SparkForce has maintained a focus on developing the next generation of manufacturers.

Solving the Skills Gap

Studies predict the skilled labor shortage will worsen over the next decade. If nothing changes, 2 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled.

Summer Manufacturing Camp Impact Studies

2025 Camp Impact Study 2020 Camp Impact Study

SparkForce Annual Reports

2024 2023 2022

Foundation Leadership

Ed Youdell
CEO
Fabricators and Manufacturers Association
Ed Dernulc
Director, Foundation
Fabricators and Manufacturers Association

SparkForce Board of Directors

Meet the leaders of SparkForce who are dedicated to advancing the mission: to advocate for the growth and sustainability of the North American metal processing, forming, and fabricating industries.

Join Our Board

Media Inquiries

For all press inquiries or to do a feature story on SparkForce, please contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 888-394-4362.

Download Foundation Logos

Click a logo to download a CMYK .eps format file:

Supporters of the Foundation


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