How a Veteran Found a New Mission Through AI Manufacturing at Georgia Tech

By advancing manufacturing and building the workforce, Georgia Tech is helping to keep the U.S. competitive.

Air Force veteran Michael Trigger discovered a new career path thanks to Georgia Tech. After driving a truck for several years, he was ready for a change. 

“To stay competitive, you have to keep learning; if you don’t, you turn into a dinosaur and become extinct,” Trigger said. “That's the advice I give to my kids, to my grandson — and to myself.”

He enrolled in an AI in manufacturing course at the Veterans Education Career Transition Resource Center (VECTR) in Warner Robins, Georgia. With support from the Georgia Tech-led Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing program (Georgia AIM), the center trains veterans in industry-standard robotics using cutting-edge AI manufacturing technologies.

The course took Trigger and his cohort to the Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AMPF), housed in Georgia Tech's Manufacturing Institute, where they learned about opportunities and internships in AI manufacturing. Through that exposure, Trigger applied and was selected for an internship that would change his life.
 

A male researcher speaking and gesturing with his hands in a lab at Georgia Tech

“One thing the military teaches you is that it’s all about the mission. Whenever I go somewhere, that’s the first thing I try to understand.”

For Trigger, AMPF’s mission is about bridging the gap between the research that happens in the lab and getting technology out into the world so society can benefit.

“When the AMPF staff trained us on manufacturing technologies, they also helped us understand the real-world applications,” he explained. “Once you learn these skills, you can take them back to your community and teach others if you choose to do that. I've learned lifelong skills no one can take away from me.”

Today, Trigger is applying what he’s learned about AI manufacturing to innovation in the business sector. 

“AI in manufacturing is all about improving processes and making us more efficient and productive. I plan to apply these lessons when starting my own small business.”

Georgia Tech: Research for Real Life

Stories like Michael’s unfold every day at Georgia Tech. Our research tackles today’s most complex challenges — and people are at the center of everything we do.

Whether discovering cancer treatments or developing new methods to power our communities, we’re focused on improving the human condition. As a leader in manufacturing and AI, we’re building a resilient workforce and economy in Georgia and the U.S. At a time when technology changes from one day to the next, our work is focused on keeping Americans safe and secure.