Millions Invested in Training Precision Diamond Turning Workers
Published Tuesday Dec 3, 2024
Author Scott Merrill
Carter Smith, a junior sustainable product design & innovation major at Keene State, pictured in front of diamond turning instrumentation. (Courtesy of Americom)
Keene State College is tackling the manufacturing workforce crunch by developing a one-year certificate program in precision diamond turning, part of a partnership with the American Center for Optics Manufacturing (AmeriCOM), a workforce training initiative and defense precision optics consortium.
Within 100 miles of Keene State, more than a dozen manufacturers are involved with single-point diamond turning machining, thin films, specialty glass, and advanced optics, says Jim Kraly, Keene State’s associate dean for academic program innovation.