Overview
- The launch, which took place Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, was announced in Washington by Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a federal effort to expand domestic manufacturing talent.
- Foundry School is anchored in a Stanford-developed advanced manufacturing curriculum and will run 17 sessions across eight universities with seven regional sessions starting September 2026 and a ten-session Stanford core beginning January 2027.
- University and industry leaders will teach practical factory skills from modern plant design and supply-chain management to precision tooling, industrial automation, digital manufacturing and a capstone on failed ventures.
- The State Department says Foundry School is a flagship of Pax Silica and will draw mentors and participation from partner countries including South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and India while administration officials promise incentives for firms that onshore production.
- Officials link the program to an estimated shortfall of 3.8 million skilled manufacturing workers by 2033 and say the school is intended to speed hiring, strengthen allied supply chains and make it easier for companies to build U.S. production capacity.