University of Maine opens $7M robotics center for defense manufacturing

The University of Maine has opened the B.O.T. (Build, Optimize, and Train) Loft, a new robotics and automation training facility inside its Advanced Manufacturing Center in Bangor. The facility offers accelerated training programs ranging from one to five days, designed to help manufacturing workers quickly adapt to new automation technologies without extended time away from their jobs.

What you should know: The B.O.T. Loft addresses a critical gap in manufacturing workforce development by offering compressed, practical training programs.

• Companies can choose from sixteen different credentials across four different robotics platforms, allowing workers to train on equipment that matches their workplace systems.
• “The classes range from two to five days. Some of the robot classes are two days, some are even one day in-person up at the Advanced Manufacturing Center,” explained Associate Director of Workforce Development Bradley Denholm.
• The facility uses real-world industrial equipment rather than educational simulators, ensuring workers gain practical experience with actual manufacturing systems.

Why this matters: Traditional workforce development programs often require three to four weeks of training, creating a significant barrier for companies that cannot afford to have employees away from production for extended periods.

• “The challenge is for folks already in industry. They can’t step away from their roles for four weeks at a time,” said Denholm.
• The shortened format makes advanced manufacturing skills more accessible to existing workers while meeting immediate industry needs.

Key details: The facility received $7 million in federal funding, primarily to serve Department of Defense contractors and suppliers.

• Major defense contractors like Bath Iron Works, a Maine shipbuilder, and Pratt and Whitney, an aerospace manufacturer, can use the facility to transition workers into automation technician and engineering roles.
• The training extends beyond military applications—the facility has already helped local businesses like Dr. Pussums Catnip Company automate their bag-filling processes.

How it works: The micro-credential programs combine online theoretical work with intensive hands-on laboratory sessions.

• Students complete foundational coursework through an online portal before attending three to five-day cohort sessions at the B.O.T. Loft.
• “Say you’re at GE over in Bangor and you have a certain type of robot, so you want to get training on that robot and then you have basically a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or control system to what you’re using over there. You can come and train on that specific system here,” stated Advanced Manufacturing Center Director John Belding.

In plain English: A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is essentially the brain of an automated manufacturing system—it’s the computer that tells robots and machines when and how to perform specific tasks, like a conductor directing an orchestra.

The big picture: The B.O.T. Loft represents a targeted approach to addressing the manufacturing skills gap by focusing on rapid, practical training that matches real-world industrial needs rather than traditional academic timelines.