Warner Robins’ annual Eggs & Issues event took place in early November and featured a discussion of the work undertaken by Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing and the 21st Century Partnership.
Along with a recap of changes in partnership leadership — namely, Dan Rhodes moving to lead the Museum of Aviation — attendees learned about the ways the organizations are working to build a strong foundation that supports Warner Robins Air Force Base and the larger community.
As part of the discussion, Aaron Stebner, director of Georgia Institute of Technology’s AI Manufacturing Pilot Facility, explained how Georgia AIM is supporting the creation of new pathways for small manufacturers that tie in to emerging technologies, such as battery production.
“Out of $200 billion in manufacturing that is opened in the United States around electric vehicles, Georgia is still No. 1 in over $30 billion of those investments,” said Stebner. “We’re ahead of Detroit, Michigan, and that’s because of our government at the federal, state, and local level all recognizing that the jobs that we need tomorrow in manufacturing and the technologies we need don’t look like the ones we lost in the 1990s to globalization.”
The factories of the previous generation are being phased out, with new iterations using automation to handle the dirty or dangerous parts of the manufacturing process. Gone are the days of employees carrying heavy weights or working in dark spaces; today, as manufacturing expands in Georgia and across the country, these facilities are using automation to handle these tasks.
This means the skilled workforce of tomorrow — which is already needed — must understand new technologies in order to take advantage of these opportunities.
“We’re going to have our children be the ones that can update the software or replace the tool to keep the robotics going,” said Stebner. “Those are the careers that our children can work, regardless of their level of education.”
Because of these new opportunities, certifications are now available through the Technical College System of Georgia, thanks to the partnership with Georgia AIM, to connect students with these careers. And the recently launched Georgia AIM Mobile Studio is connecting even more residents with these smart technologies as it brings drones, robots, and more to K-12 students and organizations across the state.
Attendees of the Eggs & Issues breakfast had the opportunity to tour the Georgia AIM Mobile Studio outside the event, along with mobile studios from Fort Valley State University. All the mobile studios were purchased through Georgia AIM.
The Middle Georgia STEM Alliance is a key partner by supporting K-12 education initiatives in the region. Bob Hermann, executive director of the alliance, spoke about the ways the K-12 education is supporting the mission of Robins Air force Base. This work is made possible with the support of Georgia AIM and key business partners in the area.
This includes scholarships for high school graduates attending regional colleges to major in STEM careers, coding bootcamps for high school students throughout the year, several robotics bootcamps, “teach the teacher” events for elementary and middle school teachers, and launching new FIRST LEGO League robotics programs.
But the main bread and butter for the 21st Century Partnership and the Middle Georgia STEM Alliance is the expansion of high school robotics programs. In the past two years, the organizations have added nine FIRST Robotics League teams and expanded support of regional competitions. These programs provide a strong pathway for students to learn coding, electronics, 3-D printing, and creative problem solving — all skills required in STEM careers. These robotics programs reach hundreds of students each day.
This robotics education is critical for the future of Robins Air Force Base, said Hermann. As the base grows its technology and production methods, the skills local students learn from the robotics programs provide a direct skills connection and a clear pathway to a career, with or without a college degree.
That pathway to a fulfilling career involving technology is key, added Stebner. The changes happening at Robins Air Force Base are mirrored in manufacturing facilities around the country.
“All the really innovative automation that Robins is doing around fleet maintenance is similar to what’s taking place in other industries,” he said. “We’re not just talking about jobs for PhDs, we’re talking about jobs for Americans with a high school education on up. These jobs of tomorrow will be for every American and every Georgian, and these will be great ways to provide for your family for decades to come.”
The 21st Century Partnership and Middle Georgia STEM Alliance, along with the Houston County Development authority, are partners in Georgia AIM’s Middle Georgia Innovation Infusion project.
Watch the full video.