Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) celebrated the accomplishments of 81 students who graduated as part of the program’s ninth and largest cohort during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 2, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).
A 16-week, hands-on program, ATDM prepares adult learners in the skills needed to work in the submarine and defense industrial base – the system of companies that produces parts and equipment for the U.S. military. ATDM includes 600 hours of instruction and produces skilled talent with industry-recognized credentials. This program expands the pool of skilled workers in five tracks – welding, CNC machining, additive manufacturing, non-destructive testing and quality control inspection (metrology) – needed to develop submarines and other military equipment.
During the ceremony, welding student Nicholas Ortega shared a brief testimonial about the impact that the ATDM program has made on his life.
“Everyday my welding skills improved, and I began to realize my potential. ATDM gave me a foundation. As I move forward, I will always have ATDM with me.” – Nicholas Ortega, Welding Student, ATDM
Tom Kearney, a retired Rear Admiral with the U.S. Navy and a member of the SPECTRUM Group, shared a keynote address highlighting how the parts that these graduates will go on to weld, print, machine, measure and test will be critical components of submarines.
“Submarines turn everything you learned at ATDM into reality. You’re not just making parts that can work under normal conditions. All of these parts need to function at greater than 800 feet under the ocean. Some of the parts you will be making have to function for 30 or more years under significant stress loads.” – Tom Kearney, the SPECTRUM Group
This cohort brings the total number of ATDM graduates to 413 since the program launched in 2021.
Approximately 800-1,000 students will graduate from the ATDM program annually starting in 2025. The Navy’s national training center, which is housed on IALR’s campus, is under construction and slated for completion in 2025. Each of the five tracks will be offered across three shifts when the training center is completed.
About IALR
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation through applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville.
About ATDM
Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing is a prototype training platform for rapidly training skilled workers in key trades such as CNC machining and welding for employment in the defense industry. ATDM was developed as a public-private consortium between the DoD, IALR, Danville Community College (DCC), Phillips Corporation and The Spectrum Group in consultation with the defense industry. IALR is leading a multi-year pilot project to test and evaluate ATDM as a training platform for regional training centers supporting the defense industrial base. The pilot project is funded through the National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative which was launched in 2020 by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program Office (IBAS) in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
