AIDT, an Alabama state agency designed to recruit and train a skilled work force, plans to build a $30 million, 40,000-square-foot work force training center in Decatur’s Alabama Robotics Technology Park.
The facility will focus on electric vehicles and new auto industry technologies.
AIDT operates the $73 million technology park that helps companies train workers on advanced manufacturing and research and development technologies.
“Our main goal is to help the state’s automakers continue to grow during the transition to electric powertrains and assist them as they embrace new technologies that are evolving all the time,” said Ed Castile, AIDT director and Alabama Department of Commerce deputy secretary. “We just want to make sure we have work force that has the ability to thrive in this new environment, so it’s a natural extension of what we do at Robotics Park.”
Design work has begun on the planned training center which will expandable on 40 available acres and easy to reconfigure to meet future demands.
The Department of Commerce and AIDT have been developing programs for the new training center which is expected to be operational in 18 to 24 months.
The Alabama Legislature approved the training center’s funding during the last session.