HANOVER, MD, USA, Jun 18, 2026 – Phillips Corporation, a global leader in manufacturing solutions and workforce development, announced the launch of Phillips Workforce, a new accelerated training division designed to help industrial employers develop job-ready maintenance and mechatronics technicians in weeks rather than years to support today’s increasingly complex manufacturing environments.
The launch comes as U.S. manufacturers face a growing workforce challenge. With an estimated 1.9 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled by 2033, employers are under increasing pressure to develop technical talent faster while reducing equipment downtime and improving operational readiness. Phillips Workforce was created to help employers accelerate technician readiness from years to weeks through immersive, hands-on training aligned to real-world production environments.
“Hampton Roads has long served as a maritime center of gravity, and the workforce executing the mission there stands as national security infrastructure,” said Whitney Jones, former Deputy Program Manager for the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB). “Leaning forward to meet that call to action, Phillips has worked alongside Norfolk Naval Shipyard to demonstrate the impact of accelerated, highly trained, and cross-disciplinary maintenance technicians as a force multiplier for the defense industrial base. Phillips Workforce is positioned to scale that proof point into a national program, building off of the great work with the Hampton Roads ecosystem.”
“Manufacturers can’t afford to wait years to develop the technical talent required to support increasingly complex production systems,” said Brad Adams, President of Phillips Education. “Phillips Workforce was built to help employers develop job-ready maintenance and mechatronics technicians in weeks through immersive, hands-on training that delivers capability where it’s needed most—on the shop floor.”
Built on the proven foundation of Phillips Education, Phillips Workforce delivers immersive, hands-on training focused on the systems modern industry depends on, including electrical controls, PLCs, robotics, automation, fluid power, mechanical systems, machining fundamentals, and maintenance best practices.
A key differentiator is the organization’s experience as a founding partner of Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM), a Department of Defense-backed workforce initiative that has trained more than 1,000 graduates who have entered the Defense Industrial Base. As one of the program’s founding industry partners, Phillips helped demonstrate how accelerated, hands-on training can rapidly develop workforce capabilities to support national manufacturing priorities.
Phillips Workforce applies the same accelerated, employer-aligned approach to one of the industry’s most critical workforce gaps: industrial maintenance and mechatronics technicians. Training is equipment-agnostic, with approximately 80% of instruction delivered on production-grade equipment to ensure graduates are prepared for real-world environments from day one.
Phillips Workforce is a modular training system built around 18 immersive courses designed to accelerate technician readiness and help employers develop job-ready maintenance and mechatronics technicians in weeks rather than years. Organizations can choose from pre-designed pathways or customize learning pathways to meet their workforce development needs, supporting new hires, incumbent technicians, advanced troubleshooting specialists, and workforce pipeline development. Flexible delivery options allow employers to align training with operational goals, staffing requirements, and production schedules. A future Digital Learning Hub is also planned to support continuous learning and workforce development beyond the classroom.
Organizations that invest in structured technical development programs consistently report stronger workforce retention, improved technician capability, and increased operational performance. Phillips Workforce is designed to help employers build those outcomes while reducing the time required to develop skilled technical talent.
Phillips Workforce is currently accepting new employer partners as part of their inaugural launch this October. Organizations interested in building maintenance and mechatronics capability can explore available training pathways, review program offerings, and schedule a consultation at: phillipscorp.com/phillips-workforce
About Phillips Corporation
Phillips Corporation is a global provider of manufacturing technology, engineering services, and workforce development solutions. For more than 65 years, Phillips has helped organizations improve productivity, strengthen technical capability, and advance manufacturing excellence through industry-leading equipment, training, automation, additive manufacturing, and service solutions.
