The Trump administration has tapped Arizona State University for a nationwide effort to reignite American manufacturing.
ASU, along with seven other universities, will support the newly dubbed Foundry School and host lectures to teach the "next generation of entrepreneurs, engineers, inventors and industrial leaders," according to the university. Business leaders and educators from across the globe will teach 17 sessions nationwide centering on building successful semiconductor, defense and energy companies.
ASU President Michael Crow said in response to the university's selection that the school was "built for this assignment."
“This is about universities and industry working together to accelerate all things associated with enhancing workforce
preparation, enhancement and competitiveness,” Crow said in a statement. “ASU has been asked to be a part of this effort to help create the conditions to make sure the United States continues to be a global leader in driving the economy of the future, and we are glad to be of service."
Using a curriculum from Stanford University, federal leaders said the Foundry School will support President Donald Trump's "reindustrialization agenda." The U.S. State Department said trillions of dollars have already been invested in American companies and that manufacturers will need to hire roughly 3.8 million skilled workers by 2033.
Those policies, alongside aggressive tariffs, are having mixed results. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a small overall downturn in manufacturing jobs since the start of Trump's second term, although the industry added some jobs back in August.
Vice President J.D. Vance characterized the partnership as the beginning of a "renaissance" for manufacturing jobs in America during a Washington, D.C. announcement ceremony.
"Working with your hands is very much the work of the future," Vance said. "And the idea that if you're working with your hands you're not using your mind is one of the dumbest things that America's leaders ever told a generation of American kids."
Crow said ASU is already working to move students from classrooms into the workforce, with existing government and business partnerships. That includes agreements with local industry leaders like Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. The university also pointed to its Polytechnic campus in Mesa, which trains students for careers in tech, aerospace and energy.
Other universities selected for the partnership include Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Kansas and Vanderbilt University. ASU's involvement will focus on the first leg of the partnership, which includes modern factory design, supply chains, plant economics, regulation and permitting.
The new effort is backed by the Pax Silica, an international partnership launched by the U.S. government in 2025 to advance tech supply chains across more than a dozen countries. It includes the European Union, the United Kingdom and India, among other allies.
The partnership comes as the Trump administration has looked to overhaul much of the American university system. In August, the U.S. Department of Justice sued over a voter-approved law that allows undocumented students who attended high school in Arizona to pay in-state tuition rates. The lawsuit followed other attempts to remove all diversity, equity and inclusion programs from public colleges.
The federal government has recently asked all U.S. colleges to regain the public's trust by publishing their commitment to academic rigor, affordability and viewpoint diversity, a move Crow said was "a significant opportunity."
Helen Rummel covers state politics and higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump administration turns to ASU for manufacturing agenda
