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Celebrating the 16th ATDM Cohort

Celebrating the 16th ATDM Cohort

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) celebrated the graduation of the 16th cohort of the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program on May 6. The ceremony recognized 66 graduates who successfully completed rigorous training in specialized manufacturing fields critical to the defense industry and, more specifically, the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB).

This cohort’s graduates completed intensive, hands-on instruction across several specialized tracks, including CNC machining, metrology and welding. Each graduate completed over 600 hours of practical training, gaining industry-recognized credentials to prepare them for immediate entry into skilled roles within the MIB.

The ceremony’s keynote address was delivered by Rear Admiral Kent Whalen, who is retired from the U.S. Navy and now serves with The SPECTRUM Group.

“When you show up to your new employer, listen a lot, spend extra time being exposed to everything about the work and your skills as much as you can,” Whalen said. “Ask questions and read. Look for opportunities to upskill and seek additional training.”

Student speaker Ronald Green, a welding program graduate, shared personal insights and reflections on his collective experience.

“ATDM was an opportunity to not only learn valuable skills that provide a viable career path, but also to be able to contribute to something much greater than myself,” Green said. “The last four months here in Danville have been some of the most memorable times of my adult life. I’ve learned so much in a short time. I started out with classmates, who have since grown into my brothers and lifelong friends.”

“Today, we celebrate the achievements and hard work of our graduates who have completed the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program,” said Christa Reed, Interim Vice President of ATDM at IALR. “This milestone represents not only the knowledge and skills gained, but also the dedication and perseverance shown throughout the program. Congratulations to each of you for reaching this significant achievement, and congratulations to the ATDM team for their commitment and effort to ensure student success.”

Participants in the ATDM program benefit from comprehensive scholarships covering tuition and housing, ensuring a supportive environment that enables success for learners from diverse backgrounds, including transitioning veterans, industry newcomers and professionals shifting career paths.

The ATDM program, developed through collaboration with the Department of Defense, IALR, Danville Community College (DCC), Phillips Corporation and The SPECTRUM Group, directly responds to defense industry workforce needs. The program is on track to graduate over 800 students annually.

Graduates of the 16th ATDM Cohort:

CNC Machining – 1st Shift

  • Patrick Crowley – WI
  • Jason Lemley – VA
  • Daniel Michel – NY
  • Adam Oak – NH
  • Christopher Pilotte – NY
  • Aidan Randolph – NC
  • Carlin Redhouse – NM
  • Alexander Waters – MI
  • Daniel Wright – TX

CNC Machining – 2nd Shift

  • Sakina Ahmadi – VA
  • Riley Beltz – VA
  • Andrew Boenig – NC
  • Stephanie Chavez – CA
  • Alexis Chevez – NY
  • Sasha Guareno – NJ
  • Calder Holloway – VA
  • Kenneth McNally – VA
  • Craig Poppe – VA
  • Mandy Roman – NY
  • Noah Wells – NJ

Metrology – 1st Shift

  • Hans Christ Abling – NC
  • Robert Campos – AL
  • Stefani Durrell – TX
  • Christopher Gardner – FL
  • Harry Helduser IV – PA
  • Milton Juarez – GA
  • Robert Mack V – VA
  • Arrick McDonell – AZ
  • Ivan Ocampo – CA
  • Precious Papaleo – NC
  • Yowanda Russell – MA
  • Kenneth Tee – CA
  • Tecilian Toh – PA
  • Darrel Wert – AL

Welding – 1st Shift

  • Jacob Baird – OH
  • Gabriel Blanton – IN
  • Trenton Durnell – IN
  • John Harris – FL
  • Isaac Jester – IL
  • Kelsey Miller – IN
  • Jackson O’Daniel – IN
  • Keegan Overton – IN
  • Arelis Romero – IN
  • William Sims – IN
  • Joseph Sisk – IN

Welding – 2nd Shift

  • Chris Fleischer – AK
  • William Gehring – KY
  • Christopher Karlecke – FL
  • Wayne Martin – CO
  • Christopher McKay – MA
  • Kolton Pollitt – IL
  • Alvin Robinson – NC
  • Zach Tamayo – MD
  • Douglas Van Diest – NY
  • Jonathan Vivieca German – OH

Welding – 3rd Shift

  • Ian Carollo – NY
  • Daijon Cook – MD
  • Andon Craven – CA
  • Xavier Gabriel – NJ
  • Ronald Green – PA
  • Colton Lanham – VA
  • Parker Lockhart – NC
  • Dillon Olley – VA
  • Maxfield Weir – NC
  • Jonas Weislogel – NJ
  • Matthew Wryals – NC

About ATDM

The Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program provides focused, industry-driven training to equip participants with skills critical for defense manufacturing. This initiative is funded through the National Imperative for Industrial Skills by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program Office within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

ATDM Website 

About the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with 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 and the cities of Martinsville and Danville.

 

CNC Machining Innovation Lab to Support the U.S. Navy and Industry

CNC Machining Innovation Lab to Support the U.S. Navy and Industry

A specialized camera that shoots up to 400,000 frames per second, allowing true slow-motion views of the manufacturing process.

Cutting-edge sensors that measure factors like cutting force and harmonic vibrations.

Infrared cameras that show temperature patterns throughout an operation.

These are just a few of the specialized pieces of equipment within the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining Innovation Lab, which is housed inside the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s (IALR) Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). The CNC Machining Innovation Lab also plays a crucial role in the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), also housed within the CMA.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technology, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will support private industry through testing services and process optimization and help the AM CoE develop world-leading additive manufacturing “recipes” for the development of parts needed by the U.S. military.

“The vision of the CNC Machining Innovation Lab is twofold. We support the AM CoE, but we also have a vision to support industry. We’re trying to develop partnerships to help industry drive innovation and productivity with increased profitability in a rapidly changing environment.” — Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Industry Innovation and Support: CNC Machining

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining is a manufacturing process where computer-controlled machines create precise and intricate parts and components. Commonplace in industries such as aerospace, electronics and healthcare, this is a subtractive manufacturing process – meaning that an existing block or item is whittled down or shaped.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab partners with public and private manufacturers of all sizes to modernize their processes, identify and integrate emerging technologies and provide data-driven process development and optimization. Some of the capabilities include process development, process optimization, CNC programming, the integration of emerging technology, automation integration, turn-key solutions and application engineering support.

“Companies don’t have the capacity to be able to stop and try a new process. They have to find external ways of doing that, and that’s a huge role we can play. Companies can present a challenge to us and continue to produce goods while we develop a solution that suits their needs.” — Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist, IALR

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab boasts a broad inventory of specialized equipment, including sensors to measure factors like cutting force, slow-motion cameras to track chip formation, infrared cameras to analyze the impact of heat and much more, all with the goal of “trying to optimize processes for customers,” Thompson explains. IALR is even allowing other companies to test and utilize specialized sensors inside of the CNC Lab machines for data collection.

“Our job is not to compete with industry. Our job is to support industry.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Businesses can:

  • Test various processing configurations to determine the most effective design.
  • Review and improve existing manufacturing processes without disrupting operations at existing facilities.
  • Replicate processing anomalies or other challenges in a controlled environment.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is ISO 9001:2015 compliant, reassuring customers and partners alike that we have an internationally validated system in place to address and prevent quality issues.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is located across from the CMA’s state-of-the-art Metrology Lab that features one of the largest Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) on the East Coast with 3D scanning capability along with optical measurement systems, hardness and roundness testers and support equipment. Through a partnership with Mitutoyo and Master Gage & Tool, IALR offers the services of the Metrology Lab to regional businesses and partners who may not otherwise have access to such capabilities.

“The Metrology Lab is ideal for emerging or developing businesses to have access to this capability while building justification for their own capital investment.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

“Everything we do at IALR involves partnerships and is driven by the needs of industry. Through the CNC Machining Innovation Lab and the Metrology Lab, IALR is simultaneously contributing to our nation’s defense and supporting current, new and prospective companies in Southern Virginia with needed services.” – Telly Tucker, IALR President

The CMA also includes a dynamic Industry 4.0 Integration Lab that serves as a demonstration site, showing manufacturing companies what is possible. Companies that are interested in partnering with IALR in the CNC Machining Innovation Lab or in the CMA should contact the IALR team.

Supporting the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence

The submarine industrial base (SIB) is a system of thousands of companies that produce parts and equipment used in the production and maintenance of submarines for the U.S. Navy. IALR has partnered with the U.S. Navy – along with many other public and private organizations – in a two-pronged approach to support the SIB, the development of new submarines, and the maintenance of the existing fleet: the federal Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE).

ATDM increases the pool of skilled labor in areas like additive manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, metrology and non-destructive testing – trades that are needed by the SIB. On the other hand, the AM CoE is focused on implementing additive technologies and processes that will allow for more efficient development of parts. Don Hairston, General Manager of Austal USA Advanced Technologies, used the analogy of making cookies during a recent presentation at the ATDM AM CoE Summit at IALR. When making cookies and especially in manufacturing parts for the U.S. Navy, each of these variables must be accounted for and done correctly for successful production: raw materials, equipment, manufacturing know-how, post-processing and finishing and quality control.

In the simplest terms, “scaling the supply chain” is one of the primary goals of the AM CoE, Hairston explained.

The AM CoE will scale and mature additive technologies that enable innovative production of submarine components to bolster naval shipbuilding and repair supply chains. Involving nine different partners, the AM CoE will increase overall manufacturing capacity and close the supply-demand gap in critical markets like castings, forgings, fittings and fasteners.

The AM CoE team will develop new technical data packages (TDP), which are essentially comprehensive “recipes” for how to utilize additive manufacturing techniques to manufacture particular components. The workflow inside the AM CoE will typically go something like this:

  • A team from Phillips Corporation converts 2D drawings into computerized 3D models.
  • IALR will provide post-processing operations, including CNC machining, saw cutting, and processing of test samples
  • Once all the partners sign off on the approved design, the team from Phillips Corporation will print the part.
  • The team from the Metrology Lab, which is operated and staffed by applications engineers from Mitutoyo and Master Gage and Tool, will complete the initial inspection. 
  • Industrial Inspection Analysis (IIA) provides non-destructive testing at the end of the process.

As part of the Navy’s AM CoE, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will be utilized after the initial printing of a part, verifying that the design used for additive manufacturing can successfully be machined. Simultaneously, the IALR team will also explore and implement advanced strategies that better align with today’s manufacturing equipment and methods.

“Basically, what we will do is verify that the part that has been printed can be successfully and correctly machined without any issues.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Additive manufacturing, which can also be referred to as 3D printing, is a subset of manufacturing where an object is built “from the ground up” based on a 3D model. It may seem odd that a subtractive manufacturing method would play such an integral role in the Navy’s additive manufacturing operations. While 3D printing and additive manufacturing are the primary focus of the AM CoE, subtractive methods are still essential in creating and verifying any part.

“With the current technology and dimensional requirements of the parts, you can’t simply print and install a component. You’re going to have to print it and then do some final subtractive work before the part can be utilized.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Once perfected and tested, the TDPs will be shared with Navy suppliers, providing them with the “recipe” they need to produce the part correctly and efficiently. As of mid-October, the AM CoE has released 28 TDPs to the companies that will be manufacturing the parts.

Partners of the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence include:

Austal USA Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) FasTech, LLC
Industrial Inspection & Analysis Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Master Gage & Tool Co.
Mitutoyo Phillips Corporation The SPECTRUM Group
Danville’s DoD-Funded Training Program Graduates Third Cohort in Shipbuilding and Ship Sustaining Skilled Trades

Danville’s DoD-Funded Training Program Graduates Third Cohort in Shipbuilding and Ship Sustaining Skilled Trades

35 workers from 14 states rapidly trained for employment in defense industry

As a high-performance manufacturing hub, Danville offers an innovative training model that more recently includes a federal pilot project attracting participants on a national scale to defense industrial base trades. The third cohort of students, including 35 adult learners from 14 states, graduated from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program on Aug. 5. This 16-week, hands-on curriculum rapidly develops skilled workers with industry recognized credentials for employment in the defense industry.

Dr. Debra Holley, ATDM Director at IALR, and Dr. Jerry Wallace, Danville Community College President, award certificates to completers of the third cohort of the DoD initiative to prepare workers for skilled trades positions in the defense industry – the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing Program. Thirty-five individuals from 14 states finished the 16-week program on Aug. 5 and have already received job offers from Newport News Shipbuilding, Electric Boat and BWX Technologies.

ATDM trains workers in key trades to fill skill gaps in welding, CNC machining, quality control inspection and additive manufacturing. The program was developed as a public-private consortium between the U.S. Department of Defense, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), Danville Community College (DCC), Phillips Corporation and The Spectrum Group, in coordination with maritime defense industry partners and Navy stakeholders. Scaling the ATDM program is a priority effort planned in the Submarines Industrial Base budget, and a key enabler in the Navy’s ability to reach and sustain the required submarine production cadence, deliver on the construction of the Navy’s number-one priority Columbia Class submarine, and ensure sustainment of existing platforms. This program is also positioned to have a significant impact across all maritime programs and platforms, and includes addressing workforce constraints at shipbuilders, shipyards and the sub-tier supply chain.

“At every level in our industrial base, manpower readiness is not a choice, it is an absolute requirement for success. The people graduating from the ATDM program are how I know our Navy and Nation will continue leading in the maritime domain,” said Admiral Scott Pappano, Program Executive Officer, Strategic Submarines. “There is nothing more important than ensuring we have the workforce to lead, innovate, and execute our Navy’s programs and platforms, and this pipeline provides these men and women with an incredible opportunity to join our mission in family-sustaining careers that are in critical demand.”

IALR is leading the 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.

“IALR continues to serve as a leading model of intentional, effective workforce development initiatives to generate a sustainable pipeline of work-ready talent for high-performance manufacturers and other target sectors,” said Telly Tucker, president of IALR. “We thank our ATDM partners and congratulate these students on their accomplishments; knowing that we played a role in securing a high-quality job for these men and women while also helping our nation’s defense manufacturers is extremely fulfilling.”

The ATDM curriculum is customized to the skills and training needs of the naval shipbuilding and sustainment sector of the defense industrial base. Training takes place in Danville on the campuses of IALR and DCC, and DCC serves as the curriculum provider.

“We’re incredibly proud of the DCC Knights who have completed the ATDM training,” said Dr. Jerry Wallace, president of Danville Community College. “Thanks to our strong partnership with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, access to this unique, specialized training is available right here in Danville. These students have mastered skills over the last four months that will propel them forward into high-paying careers, impacting the defense manufacturing industry for years to come. We cannot wait to see where their hard work and dedication leads them.”

Phillips Corporation serves as the technology provider for the ATDM training program, and provides the latest equipment for high-quality, industry-focused training.

“Phillips Corporation is very pleased to continue our training and advanced manufacturing roles with IALR’s ATDM program,” said Rick Morgan, Director, Phillips Corporation. “A terrific example of success related to the mission of this program is that Phillips has hired a recent ATDM graduate of one of the four training programs, in this case a member of the additive manufacturing training cohort. Our new employee, a Marine Corps veteran, will be living and working in Danville for Phillips Corporation on additive and other advanced manufacturing projects as part of Phillips’ continuing commitment and dedication to ‘Team Danville’ programs.”

IALR hosted an ATDM completion ceremony on Aug. 5. Dr. Debra Holley, ATDM Director, and Dr. Jerry Wallace, DCC President, awarded completion certificates. Commissioner Daniel Gade with the Virginia Department of Veterans Services served as keynote speaker. Students hailed from Hawaii, California, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Of the 35 graduates, two are Navy veterans, two are active Navy personnel, and three are Afghan allies. Fourteen of the students were incumbent workers, sponsored by their employers to advance and expand their skills; sponsoring industry partners included Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Curtiss-Wright (New York), Bearon Manufacturing (Pennsylvania), and others. The remaining graduates are working with ATDM placement staff to gain employment; to date, students have received offers from Newport News Shipbuilding, Electric Boat and BWX Technologies.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation with applied research, advanced learning, economic development, manufacturing advancement and conference services. 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. For more information, visit www.ialr.org.

Danville Community College is a two-year institution of higher education under the state-wide Virginia Community College System. DCC’s service area includes the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County, and Halifax County. For more information about the college’s more than 100 programs of study, visit www.danville.edu.

Completers of the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) Additive Manufacturing program receive their completion certificates and are accompanied by DCC additive manufacturing instructor Eric Collie (left).

ATDM CNC Machining participants pose with their certificates of completion, along with DCC precision machining instructor Justin Owen (left) and DCC machining technician Wesley Cifers (right).

DCC welding instructor Brian Penny (front, center) celebrates with completers of the ATDM Welding cohort as well as DCC welding technician Darrell Buchanan (second from right).

Completers of the ATDM Quality Control Inspection (metrology) program celebrate receiving their certificates with DCC dimensional metrology instructor Josh Worthley (right) and DCC metrology technician Jacob Corvin (left).
Congressional Leaders Continue Support of ATDM

Congressional Leaders Continue Support of ATDM

With continuing support of congressional leaders, the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program remains in step with growth goals. ATDM members updated Congressman Bob Good and Senator Mark Warner on the 16-week program that trains adults in CNC machining, quality control inspection, welding and additive manufacturing.

Good and Warner have been instrumental in the ATDM program’s funding and have visited the training facilities. They learned of current successes, as well as the scale-up plan to train 800-1,000 students a year within five years.

The visit also introduced IALR’s new president, Telly Tucker. IALR has served as team lead with Advanced Manufacturing Director Troy Simpson. Norb Ryan Jr., of The SPECTRUM Group, joined the visit as well. SPECTRUM serves as government relations expert on the ATDM team. Other team members include Danville Community College, instructional provider, and Phillips Corporation, technology provider. Visit atdm.org to learn more.

Congressman Bob Good, IALR President Telly Tucker, IALR’s Troy Simpson and The SPECTRUM Group’s Norb Ryan discuss continued support for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) Program.

Tucker and Simpson thank Senator Mark Warner for his support of ATDM as it plans to scale up and train 800-1,000 students annually within five years.

ATDM Summit Tackles Skill Gaps in Defense Industrial Base to Support U.S. Navy

ATDM Summit Tackles Skill Gaps in Defense Industrial Base to Support U.S. Navy

 

U.S. Senator Warner serves as keynote speaker for inaugural event

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Office of Industrial Policy, through its Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program, welcomed key stakeholders to the first Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) Summit at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, Va., on August 25. IALR is leading a three-year pilot project to develop, exercise and evaluate ATDM as a potential training platform for a network of regional training centers across the United States.

The ATDM Summit’s theme was “Workforce Challenges in Defense Manufacturing: ATDM – Meeting the Demand for Scale and Velocity.” The event introduced ATDM and discussed how this new program contributes to closing skills and manpower gaps that are impacting the ability of the defense industrial base to support America’s Navy. U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) delivered the keynote speech.

“For years, I’ve been talking about the importance of addressing our nation’s chronic underinvestment in workers. Today, it’s more clear than ever that to maintain the capability of our military, and chart a strategic path forward, we will need to invest in the people who are going to make that possible. That’s our men and women in uniform as well as the civilians and industrial base who support them,” said U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA). “We need innovative approaches to workforce development – like IALR, like the ATDM program – to help make that happen.”

Other ATDM Summit presenters included Jesse Salazar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy; Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, Program Executive Office, Columbia class submarine program; Adele Ratcliff, Director of Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program; and Troy Simpson, Director of Advanced Manufacturing for IALR.

“As we continue to ensure our national security objectives are met, and that our warfighters have the platforms and systems they need to maintain free access across the maritime domain, I cannot overemphasize the significance of our defense industrial base workforce,” said Rear Admiral Pappano. “We have to demand the same levels of scale and urgency across our shipbuilding and ship sustainment trades as we do our Naval capability, capacity, and readiness…that is exactly what this program is designed to achieve.”

“The advances here in Danville have resonance far beyond shipbuilding and will enable the future of American production by cultivating the people who will build our country back better,” said Jesse Salazar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy. “The ATDM model, led by Team Danville, will help the DoD scale American capacity to manufacture the exceptional parts, machines, and resilient supply chain materials our warfighters need.”

“The need for the level of training offered by ATDM has been clearly defined, especially in light of the country’s defense industrial base workforce needs,” said Mark Gignac, Executive Director of IALR. “We appreciate the support of Sen. Mark Warner and our other stakeholders which, in addition to support from the U.S. government, will be critical to scale the ATDM program model as we move forward. Much appreciation also goes to our partners, Danville Community College, Phillips Corporation, The SPECTRUM Group, and to funding provided by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program.”

“The ATDM Summit showcases the power of a strong, rebounding community with great leadership,” said Dr. Brian Jackson, Vice President of Workforce Services for Danville Community College, the instructional provider for ATDM. “There are outstanding opportunities in Danville, and it was great to see leadership from around the country focusing on our community and our success.”

“Phillips Corporation is proud to participate with Team Danville in its quest to scale ATDM from its present Pilot stage to a national training program,” said Rick Morgan, Director of Phillips Corporation, the technology partner for ATDM. “We are convinced that ATDM will be a vital resource in addressing the widening gap of advanced manufacturing workers required to support the extensive supply chain needs of our nation’s Defense Industrial Base. The Summit demonstrated that we have achieved a strong alignment of local and national political and industry leaders in support of Team Danville’s ATDM initiatives.”

“ATDM demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships. It is a high-impact program at many levels,” said Charlie Dale, Partner, The SPECTRUM Group. “While addressing critical skill shortages in the defense industry, it provides extraordinary opportunities for a diverse group of women and men to begin careers in advanced manufacturing. Every ATDM student is a true pathfinder in the rebirth of manufacturing in America. SPECTRUM is very proud to be a member of Team Danville and passionate about ATDM’s mission to advance and grow America’s skilled workforce.”

In March 2020, the DoD launched the National Imperative for Industrial Skills (NIIS) Initiative to catalyze coordinated, multi-level public and private efforts across the nation’s industrial skills workforce development ecosystem. NIIS aims to close defense-critical workforce gaps, expand national production capacities, and improve U.S. industrial resiliency. ATDM is the flagship program in NIIS for training skilled workers for America’s defense industrial base in critical trades such as welding, CNC machining, metrology and additive manufacturing.

About ATDM

Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing is a prototype training platform for rapidly training skilled workers in key trades for employment in the defense industry. ATDM was developed as a public-private consortium between the DoD, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (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. All training is conducted in Danville, Va. For more information, visit www.atdm.org.

See the following Flickr album link for images from the ATDM training facilities open house, the ATDM social and the ATDM Summit: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWv2ova

 Visit https://youtu.be/egldO2Feeck for the ATDM overview video that was shared at the ATDM Summit.

Students, defense manufacturers, educators and supporters attend the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) open house on Aug. 24 at Danville Community College, the instructional provider for ATDM. Stakeholders also participate in an evening social and the inaugural ATDM Summit the following day at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, the ATDM project leader. Sen. Mark Warner served as the keynote speaker at the summit, which focused on “Workforce Challenges in Defense Manufacturing: ATDM – Meeting the Demand for Scale and Velocity.”