GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Students at Lanier Technical College will soon have a new space to learn the skills needed for Georgia’s growing high-tech manufacturing industry.
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The college officially cut the ribbon Thursday on its new Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Studio, a hands-on training facility designed to prepare students for careers in automation, robotics and AI-powered manufacturing.
Community leaders, educators, local industry partners and members of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce attended the ceremony celebrating the new learning space.
The studio was funded through the Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) grant program, which aims to expand access to AI education and workforce training across the state.
Lanier Tech is one of five Technical College System of Georgia schools selected to help lead Georgia AIM’s effort to create “rural innovation incubators” that bring advanced technology training to communities outside metro Atlanta.
The new studio will support Lanier Tech’s Artificial Intelligence & Automation program, which combines four technical certificates covering artificial intelligence, industrial wiring, programmable controls and industrial motor controls.
Students will train in a simulated manufacturing environment modeled after poultry and food processing facilities, giving them experience working with the automated systems increasingly used by Georgia manufacturers.
College officials said graduates will learn how to assemble, troubleshoot and maintain AI-powered manufacturing equipment — skills that are in high demand as companies continue investing in automation.
The workspace will also be used by students studying robotics, mechatronics and industrial systems.
“This whole studio and program started with one phone call and an ambitious vision,” Lanier Technical College President Tim McDonald said during Thursday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Everyone in this room has made a meaningful impact in creating the opportunity for our students to gain experience in this growing career field.”
Georgia AIM was launched through a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and works to expand AI education for K-12 students, technical colleges, universities and workforce training programs.
College officials say the new studio will give students hands-on experience with the technology shaping the future of manufacturing while helping employers meet the growing demand for skilled workers.
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