Ribbon Cutting celebrates launch of Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Training Hub at WestGate@Crane

New hub and academy align ME training opportunities with defense and industry workforce needs

Industry leaders, defense partners, educators, students, families, and local officials joined together on September 29 to celebrate the opening of the Indiana Uplands Microelectronics (ME) Training Hub at the WestGate@Crane Technology Park, a milestone in building the region’s advanced ME workforce pipeline.

Hosted by Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) and Reliable MicroSystems (Rel-Micro), the event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the state-of-the-art hub and lab facilities.

​ROI’s Indiana Uplands ME Training Hub features a dedicated classroom and lab space designed to immerse students in hands-on learning experiences. Inside, students have access to advanced workstations, electronic testing and design equipment, a training cleanroom, and specialized software used across the microelectronics industry. The facility is outfitted for dual-enrollment coursework, technical training, and applied projects that mirror real-world defense and industry needs. By co-locating the Hub within Rel-Micro, students are also exposed to a professional engineering environment where research, design, and prototyping are actively underway.​

Attendees toured both ROI’s new Indiana Uplands ME Training Hub and Rel-Micro’s facility, gaining firsthand insight into how K–12 schools, post-secondary schools, industry, and defense partners are collaborating to prepare the next generation of microelectronics talent.

Prior to the ribbon-cutting, a student signing ceremony marked the inaugural cohort of the Indiana Uplands ME Academy. Students from Bloomfield, Loogootee, and Washington High Schools signed on as the first cohort, committing to a multi-year experience that will provide hands-on training, dual-enrollment coursework, industry-recognized credentials, paid job experiences, and career exploration in the high-tech, high-demand field of microelectronics. ​

​As part of the event, ROI also introduced “MOMENTUM: Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Workforce Development,” the new name for its portfolio of workforce projects aligned with local ME career opportunities specific to the Uplands region. MOMENTUM reflects the region’s accelerating collaboration with K–12 schools, post-secondary institutions, industry, and defense partners to build a vertically aligned talent pipeline in one of America’s most critical technology sectors. 

“The ME Hub is a cornerstone in ROI’s portfolio of ME projects and it represents a powerful collaboration to ensure that students and adults in the Indiana Uplands have exposure and pathways into one of the most critical industries of our time,” said Tina Peterson, ROI’s President and CEO. “With the launch of MOMENTUM, we’re uniting education, workforce, and national security priorities under one banner that signals our commitment to sustained progress while positioning our region and our young people for long-term success.” 

Rel-Micro emphasized the importance of connecting education with industry needs. “We are proud to host the ME Training Hub within our facility and partner with ROI to give students direct access to the tools, expertise, and environment where innovation happens every day,” said Julia Buckley, Chief Operating Officer of Reliable MicroSystems. “This partnership will help to ensure that our regional’s workforce begins developing the skills and experiences required for America’s microelectronics industry right here in the Indiana Uplands.” 

Collectively, the ME Training Hub, ME Academy, and the MOMENTUM brand build upon ROI’s multi-year ME program introduced in September 2024. Supported by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, ROI is undertaking a comprehensive set of ME workforce development programs to: 

• Promote microelectronics-related careers in the Indiana Uplands 
• Accelerate students and workers through training pipelines 
• Inspire the next generation of skilled professionals critical to U.S. competitiveness 

The Indiana Uplands is uniquely positioned to lead in microelectronics workforce development because of the region’s strong defense presence. The region is home to Naval Support Activity Crane (NSA Crane), the third-largest naval installation in the world and the 11th-largest single-site employer in Indiana. Through its tenants — Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) — NSA Crane anchors a defense ecosystem that generates more than $4 billion in annual economic impact. 

This robust cluster includes federal missions reinforced by a growing network of private-sector contractors and innovators focused on advanced technologies such as microelectronics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and hypersonics. By situating the ME Training Hub at WestGate@Crane, ROI is directly aligning education and workforce development with these regional strengths, ensuring the Indiana Uplands continues to serve as a national leader in defense and advanced technology. 

“The ME Training Hub at WestGate@Crane is a critical addition to strengthening the workforce pipeline that supports NSWC Crane and the broader defense industrial base,” said Dr. Angela Lewis, Technical Director at NSWC Crane. “By equipping students with skills aligned to the needs of our installations and industry partners, this initiative ensures the Indiana Uplands is not only preparing young people for high-value careers but also advancing national security through a resilient and ready talent pool.” 

“For rural students, the Indiana Uplands ME High School Academy is a game-changer,” said Dr. Shelley Christmas, Assistant Superintendent of Loogootee Community Schools. “It opens doors to exciting, high-tech careers that they may not have never considered possible. By connecting students with career exploration, skill development, and internships in microelectronics, we are helping them identify a clear, attainable path to meaningful work here in southern Indiana. This program inspires our students to dream big while also showing them they don’t have to leave the region to achieve success. With these kinds of opportunities, students are more likely to stay and contribute to the prosperity of their home communities.” 

For more information on ROI’s MOMENTUM program, visit: https://regionalopportunityinc.org/microelectronics/.