THOMASVILLE- Members of the Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) team from the Georgia Institute of Technology met with local manufacturers and business leaders last week to discuss how investments from the $65 million statewide federal grant award can accelerate the transition to automation in manufacturing.

“This grant is an investment in a better and brighter future for communities all across the state including Thomasville,” said Danyelle Larkin, educational outreach manager with Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing at Georgia Tech. “By harnessing the power of AI, we can open up new, better-paying manufacturing jobs while preparing workers and students with the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly high-tech world.”

During the meeting, Southern Regional Technical College announced the creation of a new precision machining and manufacturing lab on their Thomasville campus with an anticipated opening in the Fall of 2024. The lab will host two new programs, including Precision Machining and Manufacturing Engineering Technology.

“A lab for precision manufacturing at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) breathes innovation into Thomasville’s existing industry, fueling their growth and ensuring they stay at the cutting edge of technology and competitiveness,” said Shelley Zorn, Executive Director of the Thomasville Payroll Development Authority.

“The result is a stronger industry base and higher paying jobs for Thomas County citizens and the region. It is also a wonderful recruiting tool for new advanced manufacturing partners,” Zorn said.

The Georgia AIM grant provided $504,000 for an “innovation incubator” at SRTC’s Thomasville campus. The college is currently pursuing other funding sources and will move in-demand machinery, such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines to the Thomasville campus. A second grant allotment provides $1.4 million to improve automation technology in poultry processing.

Georgia AIM officials said the grant could also benefit other protein processors like FPL Foods, a beef packaging and processing plant and Thomas County’s largest employer.

“As we heard from the industries gathered at the table, there is a big need for predictive and prescriptive maintenance from our industries. Our manufacturers are automating more processes, which means fewer low-paying assembly jobs and more higher paying technician jobs,” said Dr. Vic Burke, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Southern Regional Technical College.

There are three jobs for every one employee in the state of Georgia, Burke said. The lack of available workforce has driven many manufacturers towards faster adoption of automated processes and the new potential for Artificial Intelligence creates even more efficiencies.

“The reason a lot of the manufacturers are coming back and growing in the U.S. is because the automation and the AI is what creates a logistics model that makes it advantageous again to manufacture in the U.S. instead of overseas,” Dr. Aaron Stebner, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering, told a group of Thomas County manufacturers. The result, Stebner said, automates the jobs that humans don’t want to do anymore and creates more space for the creative jobs that tend to create better internal motivation and higher pay.

In addition to meeting with and touring local manufacturers, Stebner participated in the Chamber Connects panel discussion “Scary Smart: How AI Can Drive Your Business” with Jason Jones, President/CEO S&L Integrated and Haile McCollum, Founder and Creative Director of Fountaine Maury. Chamber Connects is a quarterly networking luncheon produced by the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by First Commerce Credit Union.

Southern Regional Technical College and TiskTask, a local workforce development company, also received subawards to align K-12 initiatives to the manufacturing jobs of the future. Willie Allen, Director of Innovation at SRTC, facilitates programs such as the K-12 InVenture Prize and the FLEX Entrepreneurship program to help students develop the problem-solving skills needed for these manufacturing jobs of the future.

“My role is really to showcase the high demand, high paying jobs available in our community and then prepare students for those opportunities. Initially, we have focused on programs that develop invention and entrepreneurial mindsets,” Allen said.