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National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™ and U.S. Department of Labor Highlight Pathways to Careers in Manufacturing at Arizona Event

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Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and industry leaders discuss role of CTE programs in bridging K-12 education to advanced manufacturing careers during visit to West-MEC

BUCKEYE, Ariz., June 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement™  (NIICA) (formerly the National Institute for Innovation and Technology), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) and Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC), hosted a site visit and panel discussion with Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, focused on the essential role of Career Technical Education (CTE) in preparing students for careers in advanced manufacturing.

The day’s activities included a facility tour at West-MEC with Acting Secretary Su, a closed roundtable with key stakeholders, and a panel discussion moderated by Acting Secretary Su that explored how CTE and educational pathways can effectively link the K-12 system to careers in advanced manufacturing.

During the panel, Acting Secretary Su and panelists highlighted the need for educational programs that closely align with industry demands, ensuring students can transition smoothly into rewarding careers.

“The discussions at West-MEC today illustrate the ways in which partnerships on the ground help to realize President Biden’s vision for strengthening advanced manufacturing in this country—and Arizona clearly has a strategic role to play,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships are the superhighways of our workforce infrastructure, and today’s announcements will help us build more on-ramps for students into good jobs. Together, government agencies, workforce boards, educational institutions, employers, labor unions, community organizations, and other stakeholders can address both the immediate workforce needs and look to build a workforce system that is skilled, and inclusive for workers across the country.”

The event also served as the launch and expansion of NIICA’s Gateway Apprenticeship Program (GAP) into Arizona, in collaboration with West-MEC. GAP is strategically designed to bridge high school CTE programs throughout the nation with high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing, providing students with a direct pathway into Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs). This initiative marks a significant step in building a competent workforce equipped for the future of manufacturing.

“As a USDOL Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary, NIICA is committed to securing robust employer participation in the GAP through West-MEC. In addition to establishing the program at West-MEC with the intention of scaling, we are making a commitment here today to sign up at least five employers to the program by year’s end. This initiative not only aims to expand the talent pipeline, but also embodies our ‘learn, earn, live’ philosophy. At NIICA, we strive daily to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to thrive in high-demand industries, thereby contributing significantly to our nation’s economic growth and technological advancement,” stated Mike Russo, President and CEO of NIICA.

West-MEC has committed to significantly expanding its Energy & Manufacturing Systems and Automation & Robotic’ programs. Over the next three years, West-MEC aims to increase enrollment from 50 to at least 200 students across multiple campuses.

This growth will enhance the reach and impact of these programs, aligning them with NIICA’s GAP and Department of Labor’s Quality pre-apprenticeship frameworks and supporting a broader demographic of students in accessing advanced manufacturing careers. As part of the launch, West-MEC has established a student ambassador program, where students will actively promote the advanced manufacturing program, illustrating the seamless pathway from K-12 CTE to pre-apprenticeships and ultimately, rewarding careers in the industry.

Additionally, West-MEC plans to collaborate with the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau to increase opportunities for all students within the manufacturing sector, with the bureau providing technical assistance to increase outreach, recruitment, and retention of women in its programs.

“West-MEC is excited to collaborate with NIICA to prepare and connect students to high-demand careers in the advanced manufacturing sector. West-MEC is committed to spending more than $14 million dollars to build advanced manufacturing programs on two of our campuses and will continue growing career opportunities in this field,” said Dr. Scott Spurgeon, Superintendent of West-MEC.

KORE Power, a leading innovator in battery technology and manufacturing, has demonstrated its commitment to workforce development through their close partnership with West-MEC. Through this collaboration, KORE Power aims to cultivate a skilled workforce ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s advanced manufacturing needs.

“Our partnership with West-MEC is exactly what KORE Power needs to help support and grow a diverse, local, and highly-trained workforce that will benefit from the 1,250 well-paying jobs provided at the KOREPlex in phase one,” said Mike Canada, Chief Operations Officer for KORE Power. “The curriculum alignment with the competencies required for advanced battery manufacturing, provided by NIICA’s collaboration with West-MEC, is an opportunity we look forward to exploring as our development in Buckeye continues.”

Russo commented on the day’s activities. “Our gathering at West-MEC illustrates the power of partnerships in transforming our approach to workforce development,” said Russo. “NIICA is dedicated to pioneering initiatives like our Gateway Apprenticeship Program that not only meet today’s workforce challenges but expand access to high-value careers for the nation’s diverse population without a degree requirement for entry. We are committed to fostering innovative collaborations that advance our nation’s leadership in strategic sectors, ensuring a robust talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing and the tech sector.”

A replay of the panel will be made available in the days following the event. For additional information about the event or for media comments, contact the Institute’s Outreach and Communications Manager Stephanie Frederick at sfrederick@niica.org.

About the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement

NIICA (formerly the National Institute for Innovation and Technology) is a 501(c)(3) with a mission to identify roadblocks to innovation in strategic industry sectors, those important to the U.S. national security and global competitiveness, and ensure they are eliminated. The Institute is responsible for a national strategy to support the development of the talent pipeline required for the Semiconductor Industry, including Advanced Manufacturing and the tech sector.

NIICA’s National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative represents a comprehensive, nationally integrated approach that enables broader participation by promoting skills-based learning and hiring, connecting the public education system, returning service members and their families and adults from other occupations to related technician and engineering careers. For more information about the Institute, visit www.niit.org.

About the Gateway Apprenticeship Program

GAP is a national initiative focused on building and expanding the pre-apprenticeship pathway through the education system by establishing pre-apprenticeships at scale through the existing CTE system, with the goal of eventually enabling all students K-12 in public education to have the opportunity to take courses aligned with target industries and take the initial steps to furthering a skills based education. The pathway will lead from high school CTE programs directly into employer-based RAPs supported by community colleges who provide the Related Technical Instruction (RTI), or in the case where they would rather continue their education or there is no current RAP opportunity, they can choose the path of going directly into community college. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Institute provides access to industry subject matter experts and its tools and resources required for curriculum alignment, development and student engagement, including the National Talent Hub, as well as Intermediary services for employers to establish Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-institute-for-industry-and-career-advancement-and-us-department-of-labor-highlight-pathways-to-careers-in-manufacturing-at-arizona-event-302165269.html

SOURCE National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement

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Wistron Celebrates Grand Opening of First U.S. Smart Factory Marking Milestone in Global Smart Manufacturing Strategy

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FORT WORTH, Texas, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wistron Corporation (“Wistron”) celebrated the grand opening of its D1 AI smart facility in Fort Worth, Texas, the site where the first NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip was built and mass-produced in the United States. The US$ 700 million facility, spanning approximately 324,000 square foot, was officially unveiled during a ceremony led by Wistron Chairman Simon Lin and NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang. Jessica Rogers, Director of the Economic Development Department for the City of Fort Worth, and Alexander Tah-ray Yui, Taiwan’s Representative to the United States, were among the government officials and business leaders who attended, marking a milestone in the expansion of Wistron’s global footprint and advanced manufacturing capabilities.

This is a key hub in Wistron’s global AI infrastructure manufacturing network. The facility runs on NVIDIA accelerated computing and integrates NVIDIA’s Nemotron and Cosmos open frontier models and Omniverse and Metropolis libraries, using digital twin technology to optimize factory design, production workflows, and operational efficiency. It is Wistron’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facility, established to serve customers locally and produce NVIDIA’s most advanced and cutting-edge products. Wistron Chairman Simon Lin said “The operation here is not typical manufacturing. It is new, very comprehensive, and high-tech. Right now we produce the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip, and beyond, we are also going to produce the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip here. In the next couple of years, this location will be one of the most important, as we build AI infrastructure here in the United States. I think this is the reason we say that there will be the next chapter, and we are going to empower AI from Texas.”

Responding to Customer Needs: Texas, the Newest Global Manufacturing Hub
At this pivotal moment for global AI infrastructure, Wistron is drawing on decades of global manufacturing experience to expand its footprint in Texas, a state with a well-established ecosystem for logistics, talent recruitment, and advanced manufacturing. The new D1 facility produces the NVIDIA GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Superchip and soon, the NVIDIA Vera Rubin Superchip — critical to powering the next generation of AI computing. The new Fort Worth facility strengthens a critical upstream layer of the AI infrastructure supply chain by expanding domestic capacity to assemble and test NVIDIA AI systems. These servers can be integrated into NVIDIA DSX infrastructure, with DSX providing the common architecture and technologies needed to deploy and operate energy-efficient AI factories at scale.

One-Stop Operational Ecosystem Strengthens U.S. AI Supply Chain Resilience
Behind every breakthrough in AI computing lies the manufacturing capability to scale it. Wistron is expanding its AI server production capabilities from Taiwan to the United States, guided by a vision of precision, efficiency, and sustainability. This reflects a broader industry shift: AI leadership is determined not only by technological breakthroughs, but also by the operational capability to transform innovation into high-volume production with consistent quality, supply chain resilience, and predictable delivery. By establishing AI infrastructure manufacturing capacity in the United States, Wistron is building a one-stop operational ecosystem spanning manufacturing and after-sales service — shortening delivery timelines and customer support cycles, strengthening supply chain resilience, and laying the foundation for long-term competitive advantage as AI infrastructure continues to scale.

Partnering with NVIDIA to Pioneer a New Model for Smart Manufacturing and Energy Optimization
As the era of physical AI begins, Wistron is extending its smart manufacturing capabilities to the United States, creating a new model for AI infrastructure production built on digital manufacturing, energy optimization, and local operations. Jensen Huang said: “The largest infrastructure buildout in history is underway. Demand for AI factories—the engine of this next industrial revolution—is incredible, and they must be produced everywhere. Together, NVIDIA and Wistron are restoring US advanced manufacturing capacity in Texas, creating skilled jobs and strengthening America’s AI supply chain.” As demand for advanced manufacturing grows in Texas, smarter planning of production loads and energy use will give the plant greater control and flexibility over its electricity needs.

Turning Global Experience into Scalable AI Infrastructure
Simon Lin stressed that the speed the AI era demands comes with its own responsibility. “In the AI era, the pressure of speed is also a form of responsibility,” Lin said. “We don’t just need to build fast; we need to build right.”

The Fort Worth plant will serve as the core engine of Wistron’s U.S. manufacturing operations, the company said, connecting its global production network with ecosystem partners as it scales advanced AI manufacturing. Wistron said that the investment reflects efforts to deepen its technical capabilities, strengthen the resilience and efficiency of global supply chains, and support the next phase of AI infrastructure development.

About Wistron:
Wistron Corporation is a leading global technology service provider delivering advanced ICT products, AI infrastructure, and manufacturing solutions to technology brands worldwide. With more than 63,000 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia, Wistron continues to expand its AI, cloud, and advanced manufacturing capabilities to support the next generation of intelligent computing. For more information about Wistron, please visit the official website at www.wistron.com. Additional information about the event is available on the event website.

Media Contact:
Joyce WL Chou
joyce_wl_chou@wistron.com

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SOURCE Wistron Corporation

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NSG Bio Accelerates Breakthrough Biotech Innovation in Singapore

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New initiative under NSG Bio Tomorrow will support promising startups developing next-generation approaches in respiratory and neonatal care

SINGAPORE, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative aims at supporting emerging life sciences startups working on complex challenges in respiratory and neonatal care.

Launched through the support of Chiesi Group, The Impulse initiative will provide a selected startup with one year of NSG Bio membership and access to a dedicated laboratory bench at NSG Bio Singapore. The initiative is designed to help early-stage biotech companies move from promising science toward stronger proof-of-concept work in a fully equipped research environment.

The initiative comes at a time when the biotech industry is increasingly looking for faster, more connected ways to move high-potential science from the lab toward real-world patient impact. For startups, access to infrastructure is only one part of the challenge. Equally important are the right networks, industry visibility, technical environment, and opportunities to engage with partners who understand the path from early discovery to clinical relevance.

The programme will focus on startups developing innovative biotechnological solutions with potential relevance to chronic respiratory diseases and neonatal conditions. Areas of interest include cell therapies, gene therapies, gene-editing technologies, regenerative tissue engineering, engineered or programmable living systems, lung-targeted delivery platforms, preventive approaches, and small-molecule-based approaches.

The selected startup will gain access to NSG Bio’s laboratory infrastructure, shared workspaces, meeting facilities, and wider community of biotech entrepreneurs, researchers, scientific leaders, and industry partners. The support is intended to help the company advance key research milestones while becoming part of Singapore’s growing life-science innovation ecosystem.

For NSG Bio, the initiative is part of NSG Bio Tomorrow, its ecosystem-building arm created to expand the company’s role beyond facilities and real estate. While NSG Bio is known for providing high-quality laboratory and office infrastructure for biotech companies, NSG Bio Tomorrow focuses on building the programmes, partnerships, and opportunities that help startups grow.

“Biotech companies need more than lab space. They need access, momentum, and the right ecosystem around them,” said Hasyim Sim, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, NSG Bio. “Through NSG Bio Tomorrow, we are building initiatives that help promising startups connect with partners, unlock opportunities, and move their science forward. This initiative reflects exactly the kind of role we want to play in the biotech ecosystem.”

“Chiesi is committed to supporting innovation that can make a meaningful difference for patients, and we work with entrepreneurs, researchers and partners to advance meaningful ideas,” said Fabrizio Conicella, Vice President, Center of Open Innovation & Competence at Chiesi Group. “By supporting this NSG Bio Tomorrow initiative, we want to create an opportunity for early-stage innovators to access the infrastructure and ecosystem support needed to develop impactful science in respiratory and neonatal care.”

NSG Bio Tomorrow programme also reinforces Singapore’s position as a growing hub for biotech innovation in Asia, where startups, research institutions, investors, and industry partners are increasingly coming together to support the next generation of healthcare companies.

Applications open on 22 July 2026 at 09:00 a.m. SGT. Finalists will be invited to present at a virtual pitch event, after which the selected startup will be announced.

About NSG Bio

NSG Bio is Singapore’s leading provider of BSL-2 certified co-working laboratory and office spaces, supporting life-science companies from early research through growth. Through its facilities, community, and ecosystem initiatives, NSG Bio enables biotech innovators to accelerate research, access networks, and build companies that address critical healthcare challenges.

About NSG Bio Tomorrow

NSG Bio Tomorrow is NSG Bio’s ecosystem-building arm, created to support the next generation of biotech innovation through partnerships, programmes, community initiatives, and opportunities that extend beyond physical laboratory infrastructure. Its mission is to strengthen the biotech industry by connecting startups with the resources, expertise, and networks they need to thrive.

About Chiesi Group 

Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. As a certified B Corp since 2019, Chiesi is part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. 

With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,900 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden. For further information please visit https://www.chiesi.com/en/home 

Media Contact
Giridharan
Laboratory Manager
NSG Bio
giridharan@nsgbio.com
87797175

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/nsg-bio-accelerates-breakthrough-biotech-innovation-in-singapore-302830494.html

SOURCE NSG Bio

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House Judiciary Committee Passes Bill that Would Prevent Future Immigration Crises: Swift Action Needed by Full House, Says FAIR

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WASHINGTON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed an updated version of H.R. 2, the landmark border security bill from last congressional session. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House of Representatives. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) urges Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule a final floor vote as soon as possible.

The Secure Border Act systematically closes the loopholes that allowed the Biden administration to unleash the largest and most damaging wave of illegal immigration in American history. Enactment of this legislation would prevent future anti-borders administrations from shirking their responsibilities to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws; asserting unlimited discretion to parole inadmissible aliens to enter the country; or releasing millions of illegal aliens into the country, rather than detaining them or returning them to the country from which they entered.

“We congratulate the Judiciary Committee for its swift action on this critical legislation,” said Dale Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of FAIR. “Ending border chaos and rampant illegal immigration was a key reason that Republicans regained control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in the last election. The clock is ticking on the 119th Congress, and Republicans only have a short time to deliver on the promises they made to voters in 2024, before the midterms.

“Right now, our immigration laws are being enforced in the interests of the American people. As the last administration demonstrated, enforcement of those laws is not guaranteed unless Congress acts to prevent similar abuse in the future. Now is the time for decisive action in the House, where this bill can be passed with a simple majority vote, and an opportunity for Senate Majority Leader John Thune to put every member of that body on record before voters go to the polls in the fall,” Wilcox concluded.

Hayley Hill, hhill@fairus.org 202-328-7004

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/house-judiciary-committee-passes-bill-that-would-prevent-future-immigration-crises-swift-action-needed-by-full-house-says-fair-302831443.html

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

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