Jacksonville State U. Gets $10M for Manufacturing, Training

0:00Here's more Birmingham news from March 4th. Jacksonville State University just landed $10 million in federal funding to boost advanced manufacturing, workforce development, and public safety training right on campus. The biggest chunk, $6,500,000, will build a new home for the Center for Manufacturing Support. Another $2 million goes toward the additive, manufacturing, training, and innovation lab. This Center specializes in reverse engineering to help local companies keep aging equipment running longer. They use tools like three-dimensional scanners to recreate parts when original plans are lost, saving businesses from buying all new gear. Students get hands-on practice with robotics and real manufacturing setups, building the confidence they need for factory jobs. It's a big deal in Alabama, a manufacturing powerhouse, where the Center already partners with giants like Honda. Meanwhile, part of the funding expands law enforcement training to meet growing demand for skilled public safety workers across the region.

1:02In a recent demo, one of their robots zipped through a task in just 4.2 seconds, highlighting the cutting-edge speed of this tech. This story is shared with support from our sponsor. Your favorite podcasts, music, or sleep sounds coming from your pillow, no earbuds, no distractions, listen, and relax.