Every packaging and processing OEM faces the same challenge: finding skilled technicians who can install, operate, and maintain increasingly sophisticated automation systems.
As manufacturers invest in robotics, smart manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 technologies, demand for technicians continues to outpace the available workforce. The challenge is no longer simply recruiting talent—it’s helping build the pipeline before those employees even enter the job market.
ROOTS Education is taking an innovative approach to addressing that challenge by bringing industrial manufacturing equipment directly into classrooms, giving high school and technical college students hands-on experience with the same technologies they will encounter in today’s production facilities.
“What I enjoy most is solving the problems that others may see as too challenging, too custom, or not worth pursuing. At ROOTS, we do not believe in simply selling equipment and moving on. We work closely with the best distributors, work side by side with our customers, and make sure the local workforce is part of the conversation from the beginning,” says Jeff Kondel, president and founder, ROOTS Education. “Our approach may look different, but I believe it is the only way to truly check all the boxes. Why spend time selling, building, and training on something that is less than what the customer actually needs? A deep dive is necessary. Understanding the goals is necessary. Listening is necessary. Sometimes reinventing the approach is necessary. But what is never acceptable is a poor buyer’s journey.”
Founded in 2021 in Venice, Florida, ROOTS Education is dedicated to preparing students for careers in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing. Working with students from elementary school through vocational colleges, the organization partners with educators and manufacturers to develop industry-driven training programs that help bridge the manufacturing skills gap.
Rather than teaching automation through simulators alone, ROOTS creates immersive learning environments where students gain experience using real industrial equipment, building the technical confidence employers increasingly seek.
Learning on the same equipment used in industry
Students at high schools and vocational colleges partnered with ROOTS Education learn through practical machine installations similar to the workstations they will encounter in their careers.ROOTS Education/PMMI
The organization works with educators to develop curriculum while partnering with equipment manufacturers to build training systems tailored to regional workforce needs. Students learn about the same types of robotics, automation equipment, and manufacturing technologies they will encounter after graduation.
One recent example is in Texas, where ROOTS Education installed an advanced training system at Temple College. In addition to designing custom robotics, ROOTS Education worked closely with the faculty to develop a curriculum aligned with regional industry needs, helping prepare graduates for careers in one of the nation's fastest-growing manufacturing sectors.
Temple College was the first institution to create direct training pathways for military veterans in advanced manufacturing and semiconductor fabrication. The college is expanding by adding a semiconductor fabrication training solution at another of its campuses.
ROOTS Education recently expanded that model to the West-MEC Northeast Campus in Phoenix, Arizona. The facility features a training system developed by ROOTS Education that introduces high school students to the workstations, processes, and protocols common in today’s work environments.
West-MEC students gain practical experience operating industrial equipment, programming robots, learning automation principles, and even managing production through a student-built and student-operated business that markets and sells original, 3D-printed products. West-MEC also continues to grow the program and is currently adding a system at another campus.
Rather than simply learning about advanced manufacturing, students experience it firsthand, building technical skills that make them workforce-ready upon graduation.
Today, ROOTS Education has partnered with more than 100 schools nationwide, supporting over 500 students through customized training systems and industry-focused curricula.
Educators see ROOTS Education’s impact firsthand
“Their personalized approach and care are unsurpassed,” says Harold Linginfelter, Lake Technology. “I can receive support daily if needed, usually within an hour. Without ROOTS, I would not be seeing the success I have in such a short time frame. ROOTS has made the job much more fun and engaging.”
“The missing piece was a mixture of having the right type of equipment and training modules on specific devices. ROOTS has done a great job at filling in the gaps and being able to bridge the gap of theory and practice,” says Robert Bazo, Valencia College. “This has done well to better assist students with the most current technology and have them workforce-ready.”
Connecting education and industry
Preparing students for advanced manufacturing careers requires more
ROOTS Education installs advanced cleanroom lab training workstations for education partners, providing hands-on learning environments for students preparing to enter the workforce.Roots Education/PMMI
That is where PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, plays an important role.
ROOTS Education works to align student education with PMMI’s Mechatronics Certification program by building curricula with schools that cover industrial training in manufacturing. The Mechatronics Certification covers core competencies and domains identified by PMMI Members as industry needs. Preparing students to master mechatronics skills equips them to be the workforce PMMI Members require.
Through its partnership with ROOTS Education, PMMI also helps connect PMMI Member companies with educational institutions seeking industry expertise, equipment, and curriculum support. Together, the organizations are creating stronger connections between manufacturers and the future workforce.
“Industry collaboration with ROOTS Education is essential to building a workforce that is not only educated but truly job-ready through hands-on experience with the technologies and skills employers need today,” says Corey Adams, senior academy and education program manager, AMER at Teradyne Robotics.
Each training installation is customized to the school’s educational goals and the workforce needs of local manufacturers, creating opportunities for OEMs to help shape the skills students develop before entering the workforce.
One company helping support that effort is SICK Inc., a leading provider of industrial sensor technology and a PMMI Member company based in Minneapolis.
“ROOTS is unique because they’re one of the only integrators for education that’s a custom builder. It’s not a part number in a catalog; they work with the school to figure out what they actually need,” explains Bryan Sellers, strategy & business exploration, SICK Inc. “They come at it from such a unique perspective that draws a lot of people in. Being a partner for ROOTS has been great.”
For SICK, the partnership extends beyond supporting education. It represents an investment in developing the skilled workforce manufacturers will depend on for years to come.
“Building a strong manufacturing workforce requires industry and education to work together,” says Kate Torrence, director, workforce development, PMMI. “When PMMI Member companies engage with schools, they help shape the next generation of skilled technicians by bringing real-world expertise into the classroom, giving students exposure to the technologies, career opportunities, and hands-on skills employers need most. These partnerships strengthen the talent pipeline our industry depends on for long-term growth.”
The PMMI Foundation and ROOTS Education’s joint presence at school visits and educational manufacturing events, such as SkillsUSA, expands their reach and their ability to network with companies and schools.
Career pathways beyond graduation
ROOTS Education’s efforts don’t end when students complete high school or technical training.
This August, the organization plans to launch two registered national tracks: the Robotics Technician Apprenticeship and the Semiconductor Technician Apprenticeship, creating more pathways for students to transition directly into manufacturing careers.
The 4,000-hour apprenticeships combine classroom instruction with hands-on industry experience, helping participants master industrial robotics, automation systems, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
Training focuses on five core areas:
- Safety and mechanical foundations
- Equipment installation and robot programming
- Advanced troubleshooting
- Industry 4.0 technologies and systems integration
- Technical communication and leadership
Participating manufacturers can implement the apprenticeship within their organizations, creating a structured pipeline to develop highly skilled technicians while helping to address ongoing labor shortages.
Rather than competing for a limited pool of experienced workers, employers have an opportunity to develop talent from the beginning of each technician’s career.
“The skills gap isn't going to close itself, which is why the ROOTS approach is intentionally mapped to industry demand and apprenticeship standards. Teaming up with PMMI allows us to bridge the gap between classroom theory and the actual jobs waiting to be filled,” says Justin Erickson, vice president, ROOTS Education. “Our hands-on, ‘plug-and-produce’ training gives future technicians a deep understanding of system integration and troubleshooting. This makes them incredibly valuable to employers who are looking for a plug-and-play workforce to fuel their registered apprenticeship programs and specialized technician pipelines.”
Investing in manufacturing’s future
As packaging and processing manufacturers continue investing in automation, robotics, and smart manufacturing technologies, developing the workforce capable of supporting those investments has become equally important.
ROOTS Education demonstrates how industry and education can work together to close the manufacturing skills gap, giving students meaningful career opportunities while helping OEMs cultivate the next generation of skilled automation professionals.
Students coming out of the ROOTS Education system are successfully entering the workforce or upskilling with major industry leaders, including Amazon, TSMC, Amcor, Intel, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, NXP, TEL, and other Fortune 500 employers.
For PMMI Member companies, the partnership offers more than an opportunity to support education. It provides a path to influence the curriculum, strengthen relationships with local schools, and invest directly in the future workforce that will power the packaging and processing industry for decades to come.
Manufacturers can connect with ROOTS Education to partner on current initiatives and the apprenticeship programs when they launch in August 2026.
