Astonishing Companies in Robotics 2019

What does Festo’s future roadmap include, in terms of expansion,
innovation and development?
The Festo Industry Certification Program (FICP), our new
comprehensive industry skills certification, is based on industry and
education partnerships to ensure students have the right set of skills to
be industry ready. FICP evolved from our global industrial automation
division and technical education experience over the past six decades.
The Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program was established by Festo
Didactic to address the workforce skills gap in Advanced
Manufacturing. MAP is designed to help individuals learn advanced
manufacturing skills from employer partners while they earn an
associate’s degree in mechatronics in partnership with Sinclair
Community College in Mason, Ohio. The program's mission is to help
employers develop skills that are missing in today's workforce by
combining theoretical education with hands-on and on-the-job training.
Bionics4Education is an innovative learning environment offering a
range of projects inspired by nature. This technology connects familiar,
nature-based activities with complex robotics and engineering in
project-based learning experiences that increase accessibility and
comprehension for student learners. This innovative learning model
allows students to gain important 21st century skills including
creativity, innovation, and problem solving. Teaching students to see
the world differently, Bionics4Education helps students draw upon and
synthesizes knowledge from different disciplines to develop a solution.
About the CEO
For over two decades, Thomas Lichtenberger has dedicated his career
to advancing the global automation industry. As the CEO of Festo
Didactic Inc., Thomas is responsible for all market and sales activities
in North America. A passionate advocate for career and technical
education, Thomas is committed to closing the STEM skills gap,
improving workforce development, and Industry 4.0 career readiness.
Prior to joining Festo, Thomas served as President and CEO for Festo
Canada, where he oversaw all business activities of the automation
market. He led the transformation into a profitable and successfully
focused company that became the market leader in Canada. Before he
moved to Canada in 2008, Thomas had several senior management
positions in Festo's headquarters in Germany.
Thomas holds an executive MBA from the Graduate School of
Business Administration in Zurich and a BS in Electrical Engineering
from the University of Applied Science in Karlsruhe, Germany.
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|April 2019|