Calling it “a milestone event” for Chattanooga, officials on Friday opened the nation’s first Smart Factory Institute which they said will serve as a model for advanced manufacturing countrywide.
“It will allow those in manufacturing to institute new and effective training methods,” said Mary Beth Hudson, executive director of the institute that is based at the Volkswagen Academy.
Gov. Bill Lee said the institute, a public-private partnership, will provide tangible workforce skills and training.
“Manufacturing is a key driver in Tennessee’s economy,” he said in a video on National Manufacturing Day.
With $400,000 in state funds and help from the private sector, the institute will provide manufacturers with connections, collaborative relationships and certifications for bettering processes, officials said.