NKY FAME

Technicians of the Northern Kentucky FAME apprenticeship program completed their capstone summer assignment with a visit to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, the largest Toyota factory in the world. The tour reinforces lean concepts learned in the classroom including build-to-order, single piece production flow, just-in-time supply, standardized work sequence, continuous process improvement, and built-in inspection. The visit included a chance run-in with the creator of the FAME training model, Dennis Parker.

The Northern Kentucky FAME apprenticeship program has selected Weslee Alsip, Kyler Bard, and Owen Smith as the 2026 Distinguished Graduates. These technicians have maintained perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point averages in their academic program and received full-time promotions from their sponsoring employers. Weslee will join the melt shop electrician group at Nucor Steel Gallatin, Kyler will advance to the skilled maintenance team at Amrize Building Envelope, and Owen will serve as a controls technician at Bosch Automotive Steering. Throughout their on-the-job training, these students have demonstrated consistent safety awareness, exceptional understanding of electro-mechanical systems, and perceptive application of lean manufacturing principles. Go to FAME-USA.com to see how lean-based technical apprenticeship is reforming training paradigms in the manufacturing sector.