Manufacturing companies are facing a skill shortage and struggling to find candidates to fill many critical manufacturing jobs. In addition, the costs to source, recruit, assess, select and develop a highly skilled workforce are growing rapidly. To tackle the critical skills shortage in the fast-evolving manufacturing sector, Rockwell Automation and Manpower Group developed the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM) – a joint initiative to provide U.S. military veterans with the upskilling they need to succeed in advanced manufacturing roles. This veteran training program not only helps bridge the manufacturing skills gap, but it also helps provide jobs for veterans. 

How does this program work?
The Academy of Advanced Manufacturing program recruits veterans with technical skills. They complete an in-depth screening and assessment process for their potential success in the AAM program and future advanced manufacturing jobs.

The program combines instructor-led classroom learning with hands-on laboratory experience. The AAM Program leverages the vast knowledge of Rockwell Automation in advanced manufacturing. Together, with ManpowerGroup’s global insight into changing skills needs and workforce solutions, we aim to power the future of manufacturing in the United States.

The AAM Program consists of a 12-week training curriculum that covers both technical and professional competencies. Some of the key technical courses include industrial automation principles, controllers, networks, visualization, AC drives/motors, instrumentation, and machine safety. The major professional competencies include accelerating team performance, communications, navigating change, managing conflict and presentation skills. Graduates of the AAM Program are certified by Rockwell Automation in these technical and professional areas.

Graduates of the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing will be certified by Rockwell Automation to be capable of successful execution of the following:

• Interpreting wiring diagrams used in an Industrial Automation and Control System (IACS)
• Describing, understanding, and trouble shooting the various factory floor electro-mechanical components in an IACS such as fuses, relays, contactors, digital and analog inputs and outputs and common instrumentation devices
• Operate, support and trouble shoot small and medium-scope Programmable Logic Controllers, and supporting projects associated with those controllers
• Trouble shooting ladder-logic based Programmable Logic Controllers
• Designing, programming, and troubleshooting plant floor Human Machine Interfaces (HMI)
• Tracing operationl data from plant floor electro-mechanical devices to the controller, HMI within an IACS
• Performing a preventive maintenance schedule on plant floor equipment
• Starting-up, maintaining, and troubleshooting low voltage variable frequency drives, with power ranging from 1 HP to 300+ HP
• Trouble shooting layer 1 and layer 2 networking components within an industrial Ethernet environment
• (IACT = Instrumentation & Automation Control Technician)