Lockheed Martin has opened a new onsite training center at the company’s Pike County Operations site that was made possible with the help of AIDT, the state’s primary workforce development agency.
The Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Center is a $2 million project funded by AIDT, which is part of the Alabama Department of Commerce. Its opening was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“AIDT is a strong supporter of Lockheed Martin and has been for 28 years,” said Ed Castile, executive director of AIDT and a deputy Commerce secretary.
“Alabama has the greatest workforce in the United States, and this project continues that legacy.”
The 7,000-square-foot building will drive workforce development initiatives such as offering the Troy site’s 450-plus employees the ability to advance their education online, providing a central location for team functions and serving as a state-of-the-art training center for local military and state agencies.
“This facility represents the state of Alabama’s commitment toward creating long-term, well-paying jobs in Pike County,” said Lockheed Martin site director Jason Crager.
“So far in 2017, we have hired 50 employees to fill high-tech positions at our facility. We couldn’t have done it without our partnership with Alabama Industrial Development Training,” he said.
Growing workforce
The project sprang from the need for a larger training facility to accommodate increased job growth and advanced training requirements as technology becomes more evolved.
Lockheed Martin announced an expansion of its Pike County site in 2015 that was expected to add 240 jobs over five years.
The facility in Troy is a manufacturing, final assembly, test and storage operation for key missile programs supported by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC).
Around 350 employees support final assembly of MFC missiles including Javelin, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), and air-to-ground missiles.
This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
