Purdue University and Accenture have signed a five-year funding agreement to support the school's smart manufacturing programming.
As part of the partnership, Accenture will fund the creation of the Accenture Smart Factory, providing the school’s College of Engineering and Purdue Polytechnic Institute with instructional laboratories and design studios.
In addition, the IT company will grant student scholarships for the equivalent of four years of in-state tuition at Purdue. The program will include a Women in Manufacturing scholarship fund with the aim of promoting diversity in manufacturing.
The partnership is part of a wider push by Purdue to train students in using emerging manufacturing technology, such as AI, robotics and 5G, according to the release.
"With the Accenture Smart Factory and the Accenture Manufacturing Scholars Program, we can prepare more students for exciting future careers in smart manufacturing," said Daniel Castro-Lacouture, dean of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. "At the same time, this venture allows Purdue to meet the needs of our partners in industry who are desperately seeking career-ready graduates with the skills we will teach in this new facility."
Purdue's emphasis on training students for the future of manufacturing comes as the industry grapples with a growing labor gap, particularly in tech-related roles. If left untreated, the National Association of Manufacturers estimates there could be 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing roles by 2030.
The university is now attempting to solve that problem. The school works with companies such as Rockwell Automation, General Mills, Caterpillar, and Microsoft to provide and integrate their newest technologies into the course curriculum, according to its website.
"Factories of the future will rely on automation, data analysis and digital twin replicas to enhance productivity, safety and quality. They need a workforce with those skills," said Aaron Saint, head of Accenture's digital engineering and manufacturing service, Industry X, in North America. "The Accenture Smart Factory will provide the right platform for innovation in this next era, and this collaboration with Purdue will equip tomorrow's workforce with the skills they need for a successful career in digital manufacturing."
