Manufacturers’ Association Announces Investment in New Automation Training Center from BAE Systems

New Training Facility Will Expand Robotics, Automation, and Mechatronics Training

for Central Pennsylvania’s Defense Industrial Base

(York, PA) – The Manufacturers’ Association is proud to announce an investment by BAE Systems to help expand the organization’s Automation Training Center, a new 5,000 square foot state-of-the-art training facility dedicated to automation, robotics, and mechatronics training in support of the defense industrial base and regional manufacturing sector. 

The newly named BAE Systems Automation Training Center is an expansion of the Manufacturers’ Association’s existing 20,000 square foot Training Center and was made possible in part through the generous support of BAE Systems, which helped underwrite the development of the facility. The center will provide hands-on training and apprenticeship opportunities designed to upskill workers in the high-demand fields of automation, robotics, and mechatronics, building a technology-ready defense manufacturing workforce for today and the future.

The BAE Systems Automation Training Center will be a key component of TIDE, the Technology Innovation Defense Ecosystem, a Central Pennsylvania initiative of the region’s Defense Manufacturing Community, designated by the Department of War. TIDE was also awarded a $6.1 million grant in 2023 through the U.S. Department of War’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to train and upskill the defense manufacturing workforce across the region.

“This new facility represents a significant investment in the future of our regional defense manufacturing workforce,” said Tom Palisin, Executive Director, Manufacturers’ Association. “Through the support of BAE Systems and the TIDE initiative, we are creating real pathways for workers to gain the skills needed to meet the demands of modern defense manufacturing.”

About the Manufacturers’ Association

The Manufacturers’ Association is a member-driven organization serving manufacturers across Central Pennsylvania. With a longstanding commitment to workforce development, the Association operates a comprehensive training center offering technical, safety, and professional development programs designed to strengthen the regional manufacturing community and support the growth of the industrial workforce.