The ARM Institute Champion program recognizes ARM Institute Members who have gone above and beyond the call of membership to strengthen US manufacturing through robotics, physical AI, and workforce development while advocating for the ARM Institute’s mission! ARM Champions are recognized annually at a celebratory dinner during our Annual Member Meeting, our premier members-only event that convenes representatives from across our member consortium for three days of networking, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration.
Throughout the year, we’ve been publishing monthly highlights of our ARM Institute Champions to connect you better to their work, inspire you on how you might be able to take action on further collaboration with us, and help you meet your fellow Members.
This month’s Champion feature centers on Ted Rozier, Director of Engineering for the Festo Didactic Solution Center. Ted brings more than 18 years of experience leading automation engineering at Doosan Infracore Machine Tool Corporation. Throughout his career, Ted has specialized in designing and developing advanced robotic and machine tool turnkey solutions for the automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical industries. His experience includes leading the development of innovative, user-friendly automation control systems deployed globally, with several of his engineering innovations recognized in manufacturing industry publications.
At Festo Didactic, Ted is passionate about bridging the gap between emerging industrial technologies and workforce readiness. His focus is on developing advanced learning factories, integrated automation solutions, and industry-aligned training programs that prepare individuals to succeed in increasingly complex manufacturing environments.
Ted is also actively involved in industry collaboration, having served on the AMT Global Service and Technical Committee and participated in technical working groups supporting NIMS standards. His mission is simple: transform complex industrial technologies into practical, accessible learning experiences that empower the next generation of manufacturing professionals.
Get to know Ted in the interview below, learn how you can collaborate with Festo, explore Xu’s insights into why ARM Institute Technology Projects are different, hear what he’s looking forward to at our 10th Annual Member Meeting, and more.
Our 2026 class of Champions will be recognized at our 10th Annual Member Meeting taking place Nov. 17-19 in Pittsburgh, PA.
How and why did you get involved in the ARM Institute?
My journey with the ARM Institute began when the organization brought together subject matter experts from across Industry 4.0, industrial automation, manufacturing, and workforce development. The objective was to collaborate on defining the emerging skills, competencies, and career pathways needed to prepare individuals for the rapidly evolving world of robotics and automation.
What immediately attracted me was the culture of collaboration. Here was an incredible group of passionate professionals, all working toward a common goal without personal or organizational agendas. It was an environment where you could leave your title and company badge at the door, roll up your sleeves, and work alongside industry leaders to solve real workforce challenges.
For someone like me, who thrives on making emerging technologies understandable and accessible, it was a perfect fit.
I often joke that when the ARM Institute said, “Jump,” my response was, “How high?” That’s how strongly I believed in the mission then, and that enthusiasm has only grown.
You’re the new co-chair of our Education & Workforce Advisory Committee (EWAC)! Can you tell us a bit more about your work on the EWAC and why you decided to apply? What should other ARM Members know about the EWAC’s role in building the workforce of tomorrow?
Helping others succeed is what drives me every day! I have always believed that one of the greatest rewards of working in advanced technology is taking something that appears complex or intimidating and making it tangible, understandable, and exciting for someone learning it for the first time.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with exceptional educators, industry leaders, and workforce development professionals who share that same passion. When the opportunity arose to serve as co-chair of the Education & Workforce Advisory Committee, I saw it as an opportunity to turn that shared passion into meaningful action.
The EWAC plays a critical role in connecting the needs of industry with the capabilities of our educational and workforce development systems. As robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced automation continue to transform manufacturing, we must ensure that our training programs, learning pathways, and industry-recognized credentials evolve at the same pace.
I believe our responsibility is to help translate emerging technologies into clearly defined skills and competencies that educators can teach, employers can recognize, and students can confidently pursue.
My goal as co-chair is to help strengthen the bridge between industry and education, ensuring that we’re not simply discussing the workforce of tomorrow but actively building it today.
Workforce is a key inhibitor to growing US manufacturing. Can you give us some insights into new workforce initiatives that you believe will make a difference in solving these challenges?
The manufacturing talent shortage is real, and I believe we’ve reached a critical turning point. We can no longer rely solely on traditional educational models to prepare individuals for an industry that is evolving at an unprecedented pace.
The solution begins with creating industry-validated learning pathways that combine hands-on technical training, emerging technologies, and industry-recognized credentials. We must focus on developing job-ready talent equipped with the practical skills employers need today while building the adaptability required for tomorrow.
At Festo Didactic, we’re actively advancing workforce development initiatives across four critical and rapidly growing markets: Semiconductor Manufacturing, Battery Manufacturing, Data Centers and AI, and Biotech-Pharma.
These sectors represent tremendous opportunities for economic growth, but each requires a highly skilled workforce capable of understanding complex automation systems, digital manufacturing technologies, and increasingly connected industrial environments.
Our approach is to work directly with industry and educational institutions to identify the required competencies and translate those requirements into hands-on training solutions, digital learning content, and stackable certification pathways.
I believe one of the most impactful changes we can make is to stop treating workforce development as a reaction to a skills shortage and start treating it as a strategic investment in our nation’s manufacturing future.
We must move from simply identifying the skills gap to building scalable, industry-aligned solutions that close it.
2026 will mark the 10th iteration of our Annual Member Meeting, taking place Nov. 17-19 in Pittsburgh as a members-only event. Can you tell us what you look forward to most at this event each year and why you attend?
When the ARM Institute throws a party, everybody shows up! And when I say everybody, I mean an incredible cross-section of manufacturers, educators, system integrators, technology innovators, and industry associations representing robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and advanced automation.
What makes the ARM Annual Member Meeting special is the opportunity to bring all these perspectives together under one roof, united by a common mission.
Every year, I look forward to the networking sessions and the conversations that often turn into long-term partnerships. Some of the most valuable collaborations begin with a simple discussion about a challenge someone is trying to solve.
For me, these interactions are more than networking opportunities. They’re opportunities to connect industry needs with innovative technologies and educational solutions that can make a measurable difference in workforce development.
I attend because I know I’ll leave with new ideas, stronger relationships, and opportunities to collaborate with people who are just as passionate as I am about solving the skills gap.
And quite frankly, there’s nothing more energizing than being surrounded by people who genuinely want to make a difference!
What would you tell a new ARM Member who is looking to get more engaged?
My advice is simple: Get involved, be intentional, and don’t be afraid to start a conversation!
First, make attending the ARM Annual Member Meeting a priority. It’s one of the best opportunities to connect with the people and organizations shaping the future of robotics, automation, and workforce development.
Second, engage with the subject matter experts participating in panel discussions, technical sessions, and collaborative working groups. These individuals bring tremendous experience and insight, and many are eager to share their knowledge and explore new partnerships.
Most importantly, make sure the ARM Institute team and fellow members understand your organization’s mission, capabilities, and challenges. The more clearly you communicate what you’re trying to accomplish, the easier it becomes for others to identify opportunities to collaborate.
One of the greatest strengths of the ARM Institute is its ability to bring together organizations with complementary expertise.
I’ve always believed that when passionate people align their strengths around a common purpose, incredible things happen.
Don’t just become a member of ARM. Become an active contributor to its mission.
What would you like other ARM Members to know about how they can collaborate with Festo Didactic?
At Festo Didactic, we believe that preparing the workforce of tomorrow requires more than providing training equipment. It requires building a connected ecosystem where industry, education, and emerging technologies come together to create meaningful learning experiences.
We leverage Festo’s extensive industrial automation expertise to develop comprehensive technical education solutions that combine hands-on training equipment, digital coursework, advanced learning factories, and industry-recognized certification programs.
Our solutions support a wide range of technologies, including Industry 4.0, industrial and collaborative robotics, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, and smart factory integration.
With more than 30,000 certifications issued and 36,000 Festo-equipped educational institutions, Festo Didactic and its partners are helping prepare students and incumbent workers for the evolving demands of modern industry.
What I want ARM members to understand is that we’re not simply looking to provide educational products; we’re looking to build partnerships that solve real workforce challenges.
Whether you’re a manufacturer identifying new skills requirements, a technology provider introducing emerging innovations, or an educational institution developing new training pathways, we welcome opportunities to collaborate.
Our strength lies in translating real industrial applications into practical, scalable educational solutions that prepare individuals for meaningful careers.
I believe the greatest opportunity exists when we combine the expertise of organizations across the ARM ecosystem to create solutions that none of us could accomplish independently.
Together, we can transform emerging technologies into accessible learning experiences and build the skilled workforce that American manufacturing needs to thrive.
Learn more about Festo Didactic’s Industry 4.0 certification programs at Festo.com.
Join Ted & Thousands of Other Experts in Strengthening US Manufacturing
ARM Institute Members lead the way to a future where people and robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to develop and produce the world’s most desired products. By becoming a member of our 500+ member organization consortium, you’ll join thousands of subject matter experts in building the future of US manufacturing through robotics, AI, and workforce innovations. Your membership to our robotics institute unlocks not only access to member-exclusive events and webinars, including our Annual Member Meeting, but also project funding opportunities, project outputs, networking, a digital platform for collaboration, and more.
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2026 ARM Institute Member Meeting
Register today for our 10th Annual Member Meeting taking place Nov. 17-19 in Pittsburgh, PA. Our Annual Member Meeting convenes experts from across our consortium for three days of networking, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. This event is open only to ARM Members. Join our consortium to gain access to this unique event.
Thank you to our Platinum Members: GE Aerospace, GE Vernova, Northrop Grumman, and Siemens, our 10th Anniversary Presenting Sponsors Corsha and the Italian Trade Agency, as well as our event sponsors AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, Apellix, ARIS Technology, BG Workforce, fivestar*, GridRaster Inc., Lumivero, ReadyOne Industries, Relling, RPI’s Center for Smart Convergent Manufacturing Systems, Sensory Robotics, SME, Tronix3D, and Yaskawa Motoman for supporting our event!
ABOUT THE ARM INSTITUTE
The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of War under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. The ARM Institute leverages a world class consortium of 500+ member organizations and partners across industry, academia, and government to assert the US as the leading nation in manufacturing output through the adoption of robotics and AI. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute has a dual focus on catalyzing innovative yet practical robotics and physical AI solutions while growing and preparing the US workforce for advanced manufacturing careers.
For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn