IYRS is the top Composites Technology School In New England.

Explore the Composites Technology program

Become a Certified Composites Technician

Composites Technology | Accredited 9 month program | Meets Monday through Friday, 8:30-5 | Rolling Admissions | Starts in September

Composites Technology is an immersive, ACCSC-accredited program that teaches students to design and build with advanced materials like carbon fiber and fiberglass, preparing them for careers in exciting industries including aerospace, yacht building, automotive, sporting goods, wind energy, and beyond. The demand for lighter, stronger, faster products made from composites, and the people who know how to build them, has never been greater.  

In Composites Technology, you’ll learn from and work beside our expert faculty who have decades of combined composites industry experience and a passion for teaching. More than just building, you’ll learn fundamental product design concepts and learn to create digital drawings using CAD (RHINO). Throughout the program, you’ll experience the excitement of executing increasingly sophisticated hands-on projects using composite materials and processes, culminating in your own capstone project. Capstone projects have included everything from surfboards to custom designed chairs to car components.

Students will prepare for and take the highest level composites certification available in the United States, through the American Composites Manufacturer Association (ACMA) and will be prepared to become in-demand Advanced Certified Composites Technicians (CCT) in some of the world's most exciting industries. 

ACMA Certifications include:

Composites Certifications



ACMA Certifications include:CCT - Open molding
CCT - Vacuum infusion processing
CCT - Advanced composites

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Most of our students have limited or no previous experience with composites. What they do have is a desire to train for an in-demand career in some of the world's most exciting industries.

Recent IYRS Composites Technology graduates now have successful careers building everything from custom power yachts to wind turbines, America's Cup foiling sailboats to surfboards. 

 

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Program Details

Where are composites used?

Composites are used to construct many of the most technologically advanced products in the world. These include SpaceX rockets, mega yachts, sporting equipment, wind energy components, and architectural products for bridges, buildings, homes, and more. 

Composites make America’s Cup boats fly, racecars go fast, fighter jets go faster, and sporting equipment more fun. If an object needs to be lightweight, strong and endure, composites are the first choice in materials.

 

Lyman-Morse | Composites Technology Alumni at Work

IYRS using an industrial spray painting tool
IYRS Student smoothing out a wooden structure
IYRS cutting a piece of fabric with scissors
IYRS student concentrating on his project

The composites industry is an economic force that fuels the American economy. Annually, this industry contributes $22.2 billion to the US economy. By 2022, the end-product market for composites is expected to reach $113.2 billion.
- American Composites Manufacturers Association

 

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

KNOWLEDGE BASE

  • Composites Industry Structure & Profile
  • Basic Materials Science 
  • Underlying Principles of Molding Process Methods
  • Process Planning and Procedures

SHOP SKILLS

  • Hand and Power Tool Use
  • Materials Handling Techniques
  • Fundamentals of Molding Technology
  • Open Molding Techniques
  • Vacuum Bagging/Vacuum Infusion Processing
  • Advanced Composites Prepreg Processing
  • Mold Development and Fabrication
  • Composites Repair Methods
  • CAD/CAM Experience
  • CNC Machine Operation

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

  • Business Acumen
  • Project Planning
  • Project Management
  • Entrepreneurialism
  • Teamwork & Communication
  • Time Management 

Recent Employers

Composites: The Present & Future of Manufacturing

NEWSWEEK NAMES IYRS
ONE OF THE
BEST MAKER SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD

Newsweek named IYRS one of the Best Maker Schools in the world for 2021. Winners of this prestigious award are institutions of higher education that have curricula that encourages learning by doing; are supported by educators committed to collaborative problem-solving; have well-developed makerspaces, labs, and studios; and which support diverse, interactive communities that engage in knowledge and skill sharing. The award highlights institutions with innovative programs that demonstrate the ingenuity and community engagement that are hallmarks of the maker movement.

IYRS Graduates Build 36th America's Cup Boats with One Goal in Mind - To Win

Twelve IYRS graduates played an integral role in building the boats for New York Yacht Club's 36th America's Cup campaign, AMERICAN MAGIC. Their goal? To use their IYRS composites knowledge and skills to help build the ultimate sailing machine. It's a rock star job for any boatbuilder and something résumé dreams are made of. As an Official Sailing Partner of the American Magic team, IYRS has a special partnership with the groundbreaking American Magic program.

Together, these twelve IYRS graduates have helped build some of the fastest boats on earth. Watch the video below of one of them, DEFIANTa jaw-dropping marvel of sailing technology, training for the America's Cup.