PMMI & Festo Didactic Join Forces on Workforce Development

The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and Festo Didactic Inc. North America, have joined forces to provide PMMI members and education partners with advanced technical education and hands-on training aligned with the industry’s highest standards. Together, the two organizations are bringing highly customizable training options to packaging and processing companies, helping to close the growing STEM skills gap.

PMMI elevates the talent level within the entire industry through cost-effective, convenient training and development opportunities, and by connecting employers to the next generation workforce.

Festo Didactic, an education company with deep roots in manufacturing automation, leverages its industry expertise to offer a wide range of learning solutions that support skills development in all aspects of mechatronics and factory automation.

“Packaging and processing is a uniquely innovative industry, with endless career opportunities – but we are seeing the skills gap continue to grow. This collaboration presents a significant opportunity to provide critical resources to PMMI members and educators who need support to meet the technical workforce needs of the industry,” said Stephan Girard, Senior Director of Workforce Development, PMMI. “I look forward to working closely with the Festo Didactic team as we leverage our strong synergy in this joint effort.”

Mechatronics Certifications

Manufacturing employers need skilled workers who can operate, maintain and troubleshoot equipment on the plant floor. To achieve this, employees must have the right mechatronics skills. The PMMI Mechatronics Certification program was developed to help educational institutions create industrial maintenance programs that align with the technical needs of manufacturers and prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing. Through a series of online tests based on industry-developed skill standards, PMMI’s Mechatronics Certification program helps employers during the hiring process and helps assess current workers for core skills.

Festo Didactic’s mechatronics learning solutions provide lab equipment and educational content aligned with PMMI’s industry-recognized Mechatronics Certifications. This capability provides a turnkey solution for high schools, colleges and universities looking to provide mechatronics training that meets the needs of the industry.

Customized Training for Packaging and Processing Professionals

Festo Didactic and PMMI are bringing highly customizable training options to packaging and processing companies. The customized curriculum and hands-on training offers a wide range of topics and skills related to mechatronics and factory automation such as robotics, CAD/CAM/CNC and PLC. Festo’s factory automation learning systems are designed to simulate the most technically advanced processing plants, focusing first on individual stations with the option to scale to more complex Industry 4.0 cyber-physical systems.

Benefits for industry:

• Improve workforce readiness
• Upskill employees quickly
• Reduce turnover
• Close skills gap with continued learning and professional development courses
• Highest-quality industry standards

About PMMI

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents more than 950 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry. Learn more at pmmi.org and packexpo.com and pmmimediagroup.com.

About Festo Didactic

Festo leverages its automation expertise to provide comprehensive industrial and technical education solutions. Learn more at https://www.festo-didactic.com/us-en/ and http://www.festo.com.