Jax State and EOS Team Up to Power Next-Gen Additive Manufacturing Talent with Ignite Program!

Jacksonville State University (Jax State) has entered a strategic collaboration with EOS North America’s Additive Minds applied engineering group to expand its additive manufacturing (AM) curriculum through the Additive Minds Academy Ignite Program. The partnership gives Jax State students direct access to industrial-grade training, software, and certification pathways—advancing the university’s push to prepare a job-ready workforce for America’s rapidly scaling advanced manufacturing economy.

Building on this commitment, Jax State has procured a second EOS M 290, the industry’s benchmark laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printer, to deepen hands-on learning with production-class equipment. With the new system installed, Jax State’s AM lab now represents more than \$3 million in assets, reinforcing its role as a regional hub for experimentation, prototyping, and full-scale manufacturing exposure.

Ignite is designed to close the gap between classroom learning and factory-floor execution. Its modular, scalable format supports online and hybrid delivery so universities can tailor learning to students at different stages—from newcomers exploring AM fundamentals to seniors completing operator certifications. Core content spans machine operation, safety, materials science, system process control, design for additive manufacturing (DfAM), production strategies, and quality. For institutions ready to certify on EOS platforms, Ignite’s advanced track layers in EOSPRINT 2 training, process science and engineering coursework, local software licensing, and enablement toward system operation and partner operator credentials—giving graduates portable proof of competence that employers recognize.

Jax State joins early adopters including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Columbia Gorge Community College, reflecting a growing national coalition aligning curricula with industry needs. Ignite is also used by Launch Canada, the nonprofit behind the country’s largest student rocketry competition, where teams train in DfAM to design lighter, more reliable aerospace components—evidence of how AM education translates into real-world innovation challenges.

Matt Rosser, Director of Jax State’s Center for Manufacturing Support, said the university is pairing industrial content from EOS with the campus’s expanding lab and faculty expertise to accelerate career readiness. He noted that the additional M 290 strengthens a pipeline that moves students from foundational knowledge to production-grade execution, ensuring they graduate fluent in both the theory and practice of metal AM.

From EOS’s side, Fabian Alefeld, Global Director of Business Development and Additive Minds Academy, framed Ignite as a bridge between industrial expectations and academic delivery. By equipping institutions like Jax State with structured curricula and certification paths, EOS aims to give graduates the confidence—and documented capability—to contribute on day one in sectors where precision, repeatability, and throughput matter.

The timing is significant. Manufacturers across defense, aerospace, energy, automotive, and medical devices are scaling metal AM for qualification-grade parts, tooling, and repairs. Employers increasingly seek engineers who understand parameter development, data-driven quality, and design freedoms unique to AM. With dual EOS M 290 systems on campus and a curriculum mapped to industry standards, Jax State is positioning graduates to meet that demand—designing lighter geometries, consolidating assemblies, and cutting lead times without sacrificing performance.

As advanced manufacturing becomes a pillar of regional competitiveness, the Jax State–EOS collaboration offers a pragmatic model: align coursework to real machines, embed certification, and let students iterate on production-class hardware. The result is a talent pipeline ready to help U.S. industry shorten learning curves, derisk adoption, and scale additive manufacturing from pilot to production.