AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERS - Business · PDF filetraining centers, four project-based ... AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERS ... employment training and recruitment for

January 2015 BusinessAlabama.com | 59

AIDT, the state’s lead workforce devel-opment agency, has a broad statewide mis-sion, but, in recent years, it also has created special initiatives tailored to specific industries. This is best seen in the regional training centers AIDT has developed over the last seven years.

With state and local collaboration, AIDT now has five industry-specific training centers, four project-based facilities located at specific companies and traveling units to visit high schools and career fairs throughout the state.

All centers provide free leadership and development training for Alabama work-ers, but several focus on continuing educa-

tion in aviation, maritime, construction and trade and advanced manufacturing.

The State of Alabama established AIDT in 1971 as a State Board of Educa-tion contract program. In 2012, Gov. Robert Bentley reorganized AIDT as a division of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Alabama residents and students, as well as businesses, are still the clients of AIDT, says Director Ed Castile. “The organi-zation really exists to serve two main purposes. We provide quality workforce development for Alabama’s new and expanding businesses, and we expand the opportunities of its citizens through the

jobs these businesses create.” Attracting business to the state is a ma-

jor component of AIDT, and listening to what those companies need is important, Castile says. Part of that need is addressing the skills gap in the workforce, he says, and the targeted training provided at AIDT’s regional, industry-focused training centers bridges that gap.

In the last decade, AIDT — the state’s leading economic development edge — has increasingly tailored its resources to the needs of specific industries and regions.

By ALySHA SCHERTZ

Custom Designed Worker Training

woRkfoRCE DEvELopmEnT

Top: AIDT’s Maritime Training Center in Mobile opened in 2007. Bottom: Two views of AIDT’s robotics training center in Tanner. Photos courtesy of the designer of AIDT’s maritime and robotics centers — Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc. (GMC) Photos by Edward Badham (Edward Badham Photography)

AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERS



AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERSAIDT HUNTSVILLE 2AIDT-RTP5

TANNER HUNTSVILLE

BIRMINGHAMLINCOLN

VANCE

OPELIKA

MONTGOMERY

HOPE HULL

CALVERT

MOBILE

AIDT-AWTC & ACAWT6

8 AIDT-MERCEDES CENTER

AIDT-FPDC OFFICE7

AIDT-HYUNDAI CENTER11

AIDT-AATC12

AIDT-AM/NS & OUTOKUMPU CENTER 10

AIDT-MARITIME TRAINING CENTER 4

AIDT-MOBILE3

AIDT-HOME OFFICE 1

AIDT-HONDA CENTER 9

1. AIDT Home offIce • Administrative Support• Project Management• Project Support• Research• Training• Leadership Development• Media Services• IT Support

2. AIDT HunTSvILLe*• Administrative Support• Project Management• Training

3. AIDT MobILe*• Administrative Support• Project Management• Training

4. AIDT - MARITIMe TRAInIng CenTeR• Administrative Support• Project Management• Maritime Training

5. AIDT - RoboTICS TeCHnoLogy PARk• Administrative Support• Project Management• Robotics Training• Research & Development

6. AIDT - ALAbAMA WoRk- foRCe TRAInIng CenTeR • Alabama Center for Advanced Woodworking Tech• Administrative Support• Project Management• Training

7. AIDT - foReST PRoDuCTS DeveLoPMenT CenTeR • Research • Project Management

8. AIDT - MeRCeDeS CenTeR• Administrative Support• Project Management• Automotive Training

9. AIDT - HonDA CenTeR • Administrative Support• Project Management• Automotive Training

10. AIDT - AM/nS & ouTokuMPu CenTeR• Administrative Support• Project Management• Training

11. AIDT - HyunDAI CenTeR*• Administrative Support• Project Management• Automotive Training

12. AIDT - ALAbAMA AvIATIon TRAInIng CenTeR • Administrative Support• Project Management• Training

* ISo Certified Programs

62 | BusinessAlabama.com January 2015


360 Addsco RoadMobile, Alabama

From the Mobile River to Bayou La Batre, Alabama’s coastline is rooted in the maritime industry. AIDT opened the Maritime Training Center in 2007 to better serve the needs of this native but rapidly evolving sector.

Alongside major ship repair yards like BAE Systems, Austal USA — south Ala-bama’s largest manufacturing employer — designs and builds some of the most modern ships in the U.S. Navy, using advanced assembly systems and advanced metals. Also in the seascape is Aker Solu-tions, a Norwegian company producing the most advanced communications cabling in the deep water, offshore oil and gas exploration industry.

“These are the companies really utiliz-ing the center,” says Tony Hopper, project manager for the Maritime Training Center “We work with them regularly, and they provide us with insight into their needs at specific times now or in the future. We’re extremely industry driven, and the training we provide is done with a purpose.”

The center moved to its new location off the Causeway, next to Austal USA’s headquarters, in January of 2011.

“We’re here to train the next genera-tion of Alabama’s workforce — employ-ees that will move up within companies and the new workforce who will take on their existing roles,” says Hopper.

“With or without experience, once individuals complete our trainings, they find work.”

The center currently provides training for individuals in welding, pipefitting, safety and design. Companies in the re-gion also can register as affiliate companies and take advantage of free continuing education courses for their employees.

The center is an accredited National Center for Construction Education and Research facility and offers training cur-riculum for more than 60 skilled trade and craft areas. In addition, companies can take advantage of classes in safety or qual-ity control or they can work with AIDT to develop custom schedules and courses.

“With or without experience, once individuals complete our trainings, they find work.”

— Tony Hopper, project manager,

AIDT Maritime Training Center

AIDT MARITIME TRAININg CENTER

Photos courtesy of the designers of the AIDT Maritime Training Center — Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc. (GMC) Photos by Edward Badham (Edward Badham Photography)


6505 u.S. Hwy 31 // Tanner, Alabama

Phase I of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park opened in 2010. The $73 million facility provides technical training, as well as highly skilled educational services for the advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics industry in the state of Alabama.

“Our goal is to help Alabama companies develop a workforce equipped to handle new robotics systems and technologies,” says Rick Maroney, project manager. “We’ve established a benchmark program for others to emulate, and this facility is one of a kind.

“We also work closely with Calhoun Community College to provide skills training to two and some four-year college students.”

The park consists of three facilities: the Robotic Maintenance Training Center, the Advanced Technology Research and Development Center, and the Integration, Entre-preneurial and Paint/Dispense Training Center, which is in the planning phase.

The Robotic Maintenance Training Center is a 60,000-square-foot facility dedicated to training Alabama’s workforce in safety and the most advanced robotic machinery, Maroney says.

In addition to material handling, manual welding, overhead crane operation and fork-lift safety, the facility trains individuals on vendor and company-specific robotic systems, vision systems and advanced manufacturing lines.

Phase two of the center was completed approximately two years ago. The Advanced Technology Research and Development Center is a 43,000-square-foot facility designed for research and development and testing in the field of robotics, defense, space explora-tion and manufacturing.

Companies are allowed to sign up and use the facility for research and testing for one to three years, he says.

To address the needs of its automotive and manufacturing clients, phase three of the project will allow companies to build, adapt and test new and existing manufacturing processes and to offer training in manual and robotic paint techniques. Construction of the $8 million Integration, Entrepreneurial and Paint Dispense Training Center already has started and is expected to be complete in 2015.

ALAbAMA RObOTICS TEChNOLOgy PARk

“We’ve established a benchmark program for others to emulate, and this facility is one of a kind.”

— Rick Maroney, project manager, Alabama Robotics Technology Park


Photos courtesy of the designers of the Alabama Robotics Technology Park—

Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc. (GMC) Photos by Edward Badham (Edward

Badham Photography)


1815 9th St. // Mobile, Alabama

Airbus selected Alabama as the site of its first U.S.-based production facility in the summer of 2012. The announcement came after years of wooing and negotia-tions from the Alabama Department of Commerce and other officials.

AIDT has had a facility in Mobile dedicated to serving the needs of re-gional industries like steel, chemical and telecommunications, but with the addition of Airbus, the state set out to construct a $7 million Aviation Training Center, designed specifically to serve the needs of Airbus as the company continues to grow and expand in Mobile.

The center officially opened for business in May 2014.

“We exist here to provide pre- and post-employment training and recruitment for hourly and salaried positions at Airbus,” says Ashley Philips, facility manager.

The center includes six classrooms, five laboratories, office space, a conference room and a shop floor designed for hands-on training.

At full capacity, Airbus expects to hire approximately 1,000 workers in its facility.

The training center laboratories will fo-cus primarily on electrical, composite, paint welding and assembly operations, says Lee Hammet, AIDT assistant director.

AIDT already has completed the first round of training for Airbus future em-ployees. These workers are now attending the second phase of on-the-job training at the Airbus Manufacturing facility in Hamburg, Germany.

AIDT has worked closely with Airbus human resource officials to identify exactly what the company is looking for in its em-ployees. In addition to posting job positions and conducting pre-employment screening, the center provides specific hands-on train-ing for those in the program.

“We consider ourselves to be a true partner for the companies we work with,” says Hammet. “The companies that choose to locate here have a huge impact on our state economy and our employment levels. They bring these jobs in, and the training and recruitment we are able to provide sends a message to the world that in Ala-bama, we’re ready. It’s a win-win for every-one — the company gets a dedicated and strong workforce, and it produces more jobs and boosts the Alabama economy.”

ALAbAMA AvIATION TRAININg CENTER



3500 6th Avenue Southbirmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is now home to the 56,000-square-foot Alabama Workforce Training Center, one of AIDT’s newest facilities.

“The construction trades, manufactur-ing and the steel industry are particularly important to the Alabama economy,” says Rod Jones, project manager at the Ala-bama Workforce Training Center. “Our job is to be attentive to industry needs

and act on it.” Client companies are in need of main-

tenance technicians, motor controls train-ing, hydraulics, electrical motor trouble-shooting, sheet metal fabrication and installation and basic general construc-tion trades training. The Alabama Center for Advanced Woodworking Technology and the Entertainment Media Produc-tion & Crew Training program also have relocated to the facility, strategically placed on the south side of Birmingham.

“Our customers and clients in the state

expressed their interest in centrally locat-ing these opportunities so they could bet-ter take advantage of them,” says Jones.

Partners in the development of the center include the Birmingham Business Alliance, Associated Builders and Con-tractors of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.

“The center is not rigid; we can be flexible in the offerings we provide to area companies,” says Jones.

In addition to providing a centralized location for Alabama industries, stu-dents at local high schools and two-year and four-year universities can also take advantage of the offerings provided at the center.

The center currently has five student interns working with the organization until the end of the school year in 2015 and hopes to expand to more companies.

ALAbAMA WORkFORCE TRAININg CENTER

Birmingham’s Alabama Workforce Training

Center, the newest AIDT address, can adapt

quickly to the needs of its company clients.


Precise Location To be DeterminedMontgomery, Alabama

Thanks to a partnership with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Com-merce, AIDT has established a new center that provides a wide range of basic skills and an emphasis on advanced manufacturing.

The manufacturing program includes robotics, proof of concept techniques, blue print reading, and training on pre-cision measurements.

“The Chamber started talking about what Montgomery could do as a com-munity to better support companies in our region,” says Nona McMillian Johnson, program director at the new center. “The overwhelming response was training.”

The center’s training programs began in October, but so far they are housed in temporary facilities. To date, the perma-nent location for the center has not been determined.

In just four classes, a total of 145 individuals have participated.

“The need is there without even having a location,” Johnson says.

The training sessions are currently being held at the Montgomery Small Business Resource Center, and compa-nies are registering through the Chamber, she says.

“As the center continues to grow and expand, I expect the center will have a huge impact on economic and workforce development in our community,” she says.

MONTgOMERy REgIONAL WORkFORCE TRAININg CENTER


While the industry-specific centers serve a wide variety of companies in several of Alabama’s leading industries, AIDT has created project-based training centers that are customized for some of Alabama’s largest employers.

AIDT project–based centers include the Bill Taylor Institute in Vance for Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Hon-da Training Center in Lincoln, Hyundai Training Center in Hope Hull, the Erich Heine Learning Center in Calvert for Outokumpu and AM/NS Calvert, and most recently, the Alabama Aviation Training Center in Mobile for Airbus.

These centers were established as part of the state incentive package to attract these major companies to the state.

The state considers the return on in-vestment related to establishing an onsite training center for a specific company, says Jacqueline Allen, communications manager for AIDT. Companies hiring large numbers of employees over a

AIDT PROjECT-bASED TRAININg CENTERS


The Erich Heine Learning Center in Calvert is all about steel, inside and out. It was part of a deal to attract a ThyssenKrupp facility now operated by Outokumpu and AM/NS Calvert.Photos courtesy of the designer of the AIDT Erich Heine Learning Center, Watermark Design Group


significant amount of time, and expand-ing industry in the state significantly, warrant a specific onsite training center, she says.

“All the training at our center is based solely on what (AM/NS Calvert and Outokumpu’s) needs may be,” says Olga Harris, AIDT area project manager at the Erich Heine Learning Center.

The center was established in 2009 to serve ThyssenKrupp. Today, despite a change in company ownership, AIDT’s mission here hasn’t changed. The center provides customized training in a variety of different areas to new owners, AM/NS Calvert and Outokumpu.

“I like to think of us as an extension of the company’s Learning and Develop-ment Department,” Harris says. “We can set up and provide training in whatever area they have a need.”

All project-based centers work directly with employees of the companies they support to determine how AIDT can best serve them.

In some cases, particularly in early years, AIDT handles the screening and pre-employment training for positions the company needs to fill. Eventually, programming shifts to continued onsite training and retraining in specialty areas, technology upgrades, and even safety and HR required training, Harris says.

Last September, AIDT held 42 classes for AM/NS employees. The Erich Heine Learning Center serves 600 to 1,000 individuals every month.

Alysha Schertz is a freelance writer for Business Alabama. She lives in Mobile.

The break room of the Erich Heine Learning

Center in Calvert offers a view of the piney

coastal plains of south Alabama.

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AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERS - Business · PDF filetraining centers, four project-based ... AIDT OFFICES & AFFILIATED CENTERS ... employment training and recruitment for