A new group of graduates from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program are ready to join the work force.  In a press release from the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 35 students across 14 states recently completed the sixteen-week hands on program that rapidly develops skilled workers with industry recognized credentials for employment in the defense industry.  ATDM trains workers in key trades to fill skill gaps in welding, CNC machining, quality control inspection and additive manufacturing. The program was developed as a public-private consortium between the U.S. Department of Defense, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Danville Community College, Phillips Corporation and The Spectrum Group, in coordination with maritime defense industry partners and Navy stakeholders.  The institute is leading the multi-year pilot project to test and evaluate ATDM as a training platform for regional training centers supporting the defense industrial base. The pilot project is funded through the National Imperative for Industrial Skills initiative which was launched in 2020 by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program Office (IBAS) in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.