Manufacturing is entering a new era. As automation, AI, and increasingly sophisticated production systems reshape the industry, employers need technicians who can work across electrical systems, controls, machinery, and industrial technology. At the same time, retirements and persistent skills gaps are putting additional pressure on the manufacturing workforce.
Per Scholas is expanding its workforce model to meet that need, launching its first Advanced Manufacturing Technician training program in Greater Milwaukee in partnership with The Campbell's Company, supported by a $500,000 investment, including $250,000 to fund the program's first cohort.
Building the Program Around Today's Manufacturing Needs
The Greater Milwaukee launch is the result of a year-long collaboration between Per Scholas and The Campbell's Company focused on understanding what today's manufacturing employers actually need from entry-level technicians.
Per Scholas conducted site visits to Campbell's facilities, observed high-speed production environments, and ran a workforce benchmarking study of more than 200 technicians to identify critical skills gaps across electrical systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and industrial controls.
That research directly informed the development of Per Scholas' new Advanced Manufacturing Technician curriculum, a 400+ hour immersive program designed around the technical demands of modern production environments.
The inaugural 15-week cohort will prepare 25 Greater Milwaukee learners for roles such as Manufacturing Technician and Automation Technician. Training will cover industrial electricity, fluid power, motor-driven systems, troubleshooting, and precision maintenance, while learners will also earn industry-recognized OSHA-10 and NFPA 70E safety credentials.
"Manufacturing is evolving rapidly, and employers need technicians who can bring both technical skills and the ability to adapt to increasingly sophisticated industrial environments," said Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas. "Our partnership with The Campbell's Company allows us to build this program from the ground up around the needs of modern manufacturing."
Preparing for the Future of Manufacturing
The U.S. manufacturing sector is projected to need an additional 1.9 million workers by 2033, while an aging workforce is creating an increasingly urgent need to prepare the next generation of skilled technicians.
Advanced manufacturing careers also represent an important opportunity as AI transforms the labor market. While automation is changing how production environments operate, many manufacturing roles continue to require hands-on technical expertise, physical problem-solving, equipment maintenance, and the ability to troubleshoot complex systems in real time.
The program is designed around those skills, preparing learners for technical careers that are closely connected to the physical infrastructure powering modern industry.
A Model Designed to Scale
The $250,000 investment in 2026 from The Campbell's Company will support recruitment, instruction, and career preparation for the inaugural cohort, enabling Per Scholas to deliver intensive, expert-led training at no cost to participating learners.
With additional strategic support from Focusing Philanthropy, the Greater Milwaukee program is also an important first step in Per Scholas' broader expansion into Advanced Manufacturing and "physical tech" careers.
The goal is to build a repeatable model that can move beyond a single cohort or market. Per Scholas plans to use what it learns in Greater Milwaukee to bring the Advanced Manufacturing Technician curriculum to additional communities across its national network, particularly regions with strong manufacturing ecosystems and unmet demand for skilled technical talent.
"This investment is about more than launching a single training program," said Brazill. "It is about building a scalable model for preparing people for the future of manufacturing while helping employers strengthen the talent pipelines they depend on."
For employers navigating manufacturing workforce shortages, the opportunity is clear: building the next generation of technical talent requires training that starts with the realities of the production floor.
The Greater Milwaukee launch gives Per Scholas and The Campbell's Company a place to start and creates a blueprint for what comes next.