Build Freedom Summit: Forging the Workforce for America's Industrial Future

GALVESTON, Texas – July 23, 2026 – In a move to directly confront a growing national vulnerability, IACMI–The Composites Institute® and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) have announced the inaugural Build Freedom Summit. The national event, scheduled for October 20-21 in Galveston, Texas, aims to do more than just talk; it seeks to architect a robust talent pipeline for America's advanced manufacturing sector and its critical defense industrial base. Backed by the Department of War's Office of Industrial Base Policy, the summit signals a strategic convergence of industry, academia, and government to address a skills gap that threatens both economic competitiveness and national security.

For decades, the hum of American factories has been gradually quieting, not from a lack of demand, but from a shortage of skilled hands and minds to operate the increasingly complex machinery of modern production. The summit's agenda—spanning advanced composites, metallurgy, and workforce strategies from K–12 to apprenticeships—is a direct response to this challenge. It represents a critical milestone in a larger national effort to translate innovation into tangible, secure, and profitable domestic production.

A Foundation for National Security

The timing and focus of the Build Freedom Summit are no accident. The initiative lands squarely in the context of a stark national reality: the U.S. defense industrial base is struggling to keep pace. A recent analysis from the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) highlighted the insufficient capacity of the current industrial base to meet modern warfare demands, a problem exacerbated by decades of underinvestment and an aging workforce. According to one industry study, for every five skilled tradespeople who retire, only two are entering the workforce to replace them.

This workforce crisis has tangible consequences, impacting the nation's ability to produce everything from submarines to fighter jets. Recognizing this, the Department of Defense's 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) identified "workforce readiness" as a cornerstone priority. The Build Freedom Summit and its associated programs are a direct commercialization of that strategy. "The strength of America's manufacturing base depends on developing the skilled workforce needed to meet today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities," said IACMI Education and Workforce Director Andrew Pokelwaldt. His statement underscores that this is not merely an HR issue but a strategic imperative.

The Department of War's support, channeled through its Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, brings significant weight and funding to the effort. The department's broader "Build Freedom" initiative aims to reinvigorate the industrial base by promoting skilled trades as essential, well-paying careers crucial for maintaining a "decisive battlefield advantage." The summit serves as a key mobilization point for this vision, bringing stakeholders together to forge solutions.

Forging Pathways from Classroom to Career

At the heart of the summit are two flagship national programs designed to create tangible pathways into manufacturing: America's Cutting Edge (ACE) and the Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program. These initiatives move beyond theoretical discussion to provide hands-on, industry-driven training.

ACE, launched in 2020, focuses on restoring U.S. leadership in the machine tool industry. It offers free online and in-person training in computer numerical control (CNC) machining, a foundational skill for precision manufacturing across aerospace, defense, and medical sectors. The program's success is impressive: by mid-2024, it had drawn 10,000 online registrants from all 50 states and established a network of nearly three dozen partners. TEES, the summit's co-host, runs the largest ACE hub, having already trained over 1,100 participants in hands-on bootcamps across Texas.

The METAL program addresses an even more specialized—and critical—shortage in the casting and forging workforce. These skills are essential for creating the foundational metal components of nearly every major defense platform. METAL provides immersive training in modern metallurgy, connecting graduates with apprenticeships to fill a projected need for over 122,000 skilled professionals in the defense sector by 2028. By showcasing these programs, the summit provides a replicable blueprint for other states and industries to follow.

“As Texas continues to grow, our success depends on building a workforce that is prepared, resilient and able to access opportunity — no matter their ZIP code or background,” said Cindy Lawley, TEES Associate Agency Director for Workforce Development. “The Build Freedom Summit is about more than jobs; it is about helping Texans build futures.”

Texas at the Nexus of Collaboration

The choice of Galveston as the summit's location is symbolic of a broader trend. Texas has become a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing, leading the nation in exports for 24 consecutive years and hosting major operations in aerospace, defense, and electronics. The state's ecosystem—combining a business-friendly environment with robust educational infrastructure—makes it an ideal laboratory for this national effort.

The collaboration between IACMI, a national manufacturing institute born from a Department of Energy initiative, and TEES, the research and workforce development arm of Texas A&M Engineering, exemplifies the public-private partnership model essential for success. This synergy connects national strategy with regional execution. Local institutions like Galveston College, with its manufacturing engineering certification programs, and statewide initiatives like the Texas Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (TX FAME), which blends classroom learning with paid on-the-job experience, are already feeding this pipeline.

The summit is designed to amplify these efforts. Attendees will gain access to expert panels, case studies, and networking opportunities aimed at fostering new partnerships. The event culminates in a career expo hosted by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership on October 22, creating a direct bridge between newly trained talent and leading employers, turning the prototype of a skilled worker into a profitable and productive career.