Laney College’s Machine Technology Department is in the spotlight after being featured in a recent ABC7 News Business story on the future of U.S. manufacturing and the role community colleges play in meeting the growing demand for skilled labor. The segment focuses on how shifting global trade policies—particularly tariffs on goods manufactured overseas—could reshape the American manufacturing landscape, and how institutions like Laney are preparing the workforce of tomorrow.
The news piece includes an interview with Adam Balogh, department chair of Machine Technology at Laney, who emphasizes the urgent need for training in precision machining and tooling engineering. “Our big limiter here is the workforce,” Balogh told ABC7. “We just haven’t been training people for these roles.” He adds that his students are entering the workforce at around $30 per hour, which is comparable to or higher than many entry-level positions requiring a four-year degree.
In a climate where large-scale manufacturing has been offshored for decades, the potential return of domestic production hinges on whether the U.S. can supply a technically skilled workforce. Balogh demonstrated a 5-axis laser cutting machine—the type of advanced equipment his students learn to operate—which he used to craft a complex Baby Yoda figure. “All those little wrinkles are put in there just with very small cuts with a very small tool following this complex path,” he explained. The tool used to rotate the part and enable these cuts is a product of tooling engineering—a skill set that has diminished significantly in the U.S. over the past several decades.
Balogh and other experts in the piece argue that revitalizing America’s manufacturing base will require more than just policy changes. It will demand long-term investment in education and workforce development, starting as early as middle and high school.
Laney College is one of only a few community colleges in California with an in-house Machine Technology program. It provides students with hands-on experience in a state-of-the-art lab and connects them with Bay Area employers in industries such as aerospace, medical devices, and precision tooling. With salaries in this field ranging up to $60–$65 per hour, Laney’s program offers a direct and affordable pathway to economic stability and upward mobility—especially for students from underserved backgrounds.
This national conversation highlights what community colleges like Laney have long known: that career and technical education is a key driver of workforce development, regional innovation, and equitable access to opportunity.
Read or watch the full story on ABC7 News--->>>