Guest: Steve Lehr, Director, Business Development, Festo Didactic and Karolyn Ellingson, Head of Industrial Workforce Development, Festo Didactic
Festo joins us to talk about how they’re working with PMMI to tackle the manufacturing workforce challenge through training and certifications. We also break down why the skills gap might not be what it seems, and how it connects to the pace of new technology in the industry.
Steve Lehr builds education-to-employment systems that connect colleges, employers, and public funding to move people into high-demand technical careers through credentialed pathways aligned with labor market needs. I lead a national, industry-validated certification ecosystem and partner with institutions to expand access, secure workforce funding, and create scalable training programs that support hiring, advancement, and economic mobility.
Karolyn Ellingson builds education-to-employment systems that align colleges, employers, and funding to move people into high-demand technical careers. She leads a national certification ecosystem and helps institutions expand access and create workforce-aligned training programs.
Sean Riley: You are listening to Unpacked with PMMI, where we share the latest packaging and processing industry insights, research, and innovations to help you advance your business. Hi, and welcome to Unpacked with PMMI. I'm your host, Sean Riley. On this episode, we're joined by experts from Festo as they come on to talk about how they're working with PMMI to tackle the manufacturing workforce challenge through training and certifications. We also break down why the skills gap might not be what it seems and how it connects to the pace of new technology that's emerging in our industry. Let's have a listen.
Sean Riley: So, with all the fancy introductions out of the way, welcome to the podcast, Karolyn and Steve.
Karolyn Ellingson: Thank you.
Steve Lehr: Good to be here. Thanks for having us.
Sean Riley: The pleasure is all ours. So, I wanted to kick things off by getting an overview of what the driving force is behind Festo being so active in helping the future workforce?
Steve Lehr: Yeah, because Festo has a long history of doing just that. The Festo Didactic team, which is the training division of Festo, was started in 1965 by the Stoll family because they understood that to be effective in the industry, you have to have a qualified and educated workforce. So, the Festo team has always been focused on training and educating the workforce because they know that's an important part of the way industry works.
Karolyn Ellingson: And just to add to that a little bit—when Festo started in the pneumatic space, they understood that the industry didn't really understand pneumatics at the time. I don't know if you're familiar, but Festo started as a wood company, and when they rolled into pneumatics, they realized that it was a new technology and that it would require training. And so, as Festo is now celebrating their hundred-year anniversary, Festo Didactic this year is also celebrating their 60-year anniversary. So, it's been a long tradition to provide training and development for industry to make sure that they have the skills they need to be productive.
Sean Riley: At a time like this in our manufacturing history, where we have such an issue with the workforce in terms of not having enough workers and stuff like that, having skilled workers is obviously very important. So, keeping that in mind, what inspired the collaboration with PMMI on workforce development initiatives? Specifically, we could talk about, I guess, the PMMI mechatronics certifications. How did that whole relationship come about?
Steve Lehr: Yeah, that's a good question. Really, what it is—we recognize that certifications and credentials are a big part of recognizing the skills and competencies that our employees have. We saw PMMI had the mechatronics program, and I looked at it and saw that we aligned to it really well. So, what I did was I got with Kate and talked about aligning with them and becoming a partner with PMMI. We aligned our curriculum and our equipment to the competencies and topics that are in there, and we now have a program that allows us to support the mechatronics program in all the aspects and facets of the certifications that PMMI has.
Sean Riley: So the program actually existed first, and you stumbled upon it and thought it would be a good alignment with Festo?
Steve Lehr: Yeah, absolutely. We have had a long relationship with PMMI through our automation group, but I found these certifications and reached out to PMMI and said, “Hey, I think we can do something good together.” We talked about it and found out that we could, and we've developed a good relationship from that.
Sean Riley: So now we have this relationship. What, specifically, in the packaging and processing workforce is this partnership looking to fix, looking to address?
Karolyn Ellingson: Yeah, so the skills gap has been a problem forever—and I actually don't call it a skills gap. I call it a technology boom. So interestingly enough, I was at the Air Force Institute of Technology working there for a while. And then when I went over to the Air Force Museum here in Dayton, Ohio, I saw this placard. It said that back in World War II, technicians couldn't keep up in the aircraft space, and so that's when they started to have demarcated roles in aviation. You were either a mechanic or an electrical person at that point because they couldn't keep up with the advancement in technology. And it hit me then that the skills gap we keep talking about—and I've been in this industry for 15 years now—it’s been the same conversation: skills gap, skills gap. We don't have qualified people.
Sean Riley: One hundred percent.
Karolyn Ellingson: And so, I do think it's a technology boom. As our machinery and technology have increased, the need to upskill and maintain the facilities has increased. The classes or programs we're using to keep food processing and packaging operations going are still based on basic mechatronics or technical skills—electricity, PLCs, fluid power, mechanical. It’s all the basic skills, just with more advanced technology layered on top. So, what we're really looking to accomplish is making sure employees are upskilled and able to keep production going and uptime high rather than downtime.
Sean Riley: Which we definitely do not want—downtime.
Karolyn Ellingson: No, that costs money.
Sean Riley: Yes, exactly. Is there a way to get into maybe some specifics on how these programs ensure that students—the next generation workforce we desperately need—have their skills up to par? How do these programs make sure they’re up to spec on the latest automation and robotics trends?
Steve Lehr: First, we continually evaluate the content that is in these programs. But really, a lot of it is not the content itself, because the key competencies and topics are timeless—it’s the application of them and how they’re put together that’s become increasingly complex. So, we focus on those core competencies that every employer needs. Then we allow industry to guide us on what specific competencies and topics are needed to apply those skills in real jobs.
If they have a good foundation, they can build their career from that. One of the things the mechatronics certifications from PMMI emphasize is those core competencies that are needed regardless of role. If it’s technical, it’s likely covered in these certifications.
Karolyn Ellingson: Not only do colleges work closely with industry to ensure alignment, but the equipment they use when partnering with Festo is real-world equipment—what students will encounter on the shop floor. You're using Festo cylinders, valves, and training platforms. That being said, the training we offer isn’t about promoting Festo. We focus on technical skills, not product sales.
Steve Lehr: And another thing is that these certifications require students to demonstrate their knowledge. Knowing something is one thing, but applying it is key. As Karolyn said, they’ll apply that knowledge in ways that directly translate to real-world industry work.
Sean Riley: It’s interesting—I didn’t realize that it could apply across different platforms. Because like you said, they’re core skills, not just “how to use Festo equipment.” That’s a pretty benevolent approach.
Karolyn Ellingson: And look, obviously, we would love for everybody to use Festo.
Sean Riley: Right.
Karolyn Ellingson: We do think we make a fabulous product that helps machines operate. But if you're using a competitor, it doesn't matter—you still need the skills, and we’re happy to help you get them.
Steve Lehr: Yeah, and we are a key integrator, so we recognize that we’re part of a larger system. Integration is a big deal.
Sean Riley: Do we have any success stories—students, schools, or companies—that have benefited from this partnership?
Karolyn Ellingson: Yes. A major beverage company uses this for all of their technicians across the country and is even looking to expand into Europe. Several automotive programs use it for training their employees. A tire company uses it regularly and has endorsed it for their industrial technicians.
We see that it adds value because companies aren’t focused on the name of the certification—they care about what it delivers. These certifications cover the full spectrum of competencies employers need: electrical, mechanical, PLCs, fluid power, and more. That foundation allows employees to build specialized skills for their specific industries.
Sean Riley: Fascinating. So it applies across manufacturing, which is great because it’s something we really need right now. This has been exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I just have one more question: are there ways this can grow to solve additional challenges, now or in the future?
Sean Riley: Yeah, absolutely. As industry continues to automate and evolve, Festo and PMMI can grow beyond the fundamentals we’re focusing on today. There’s definitely room to expand. By combining Festo’s 100 years of experience with PMMI and other industry leaders, we can create programs and pathways that help employees grow and succeed while keeping production running efficiently.
As we see more onshoring in the U.S., demand will only increase. So I’d say to companies: now is not the time to cut back on training and development. If you don’t invest in your people, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage—even in a challenging economy. There’s a lot of room for growth, and I’d love to continue building this partnership.
Karolyn Ellingson: And one of the things Festo Didactic does—because it’s our core business—is continually evaluate what industry will need next. As automation becomes more complex, we develop new training. It starts with a strong foundation, but expands into areas like robotics, IoT communications, MES, and ERP systems. We’re always updating and innovating to keep training relevant.
Sean Riley: Beautiful. I love that. That was the perfect way to wrap up—starting from the beginning and looking toward the future. I really want to thank you both for taking the time to join us and share your insights.
Karolyn Ellingson: Thank you for having us. Appreciate your time.
Steve Lehr: Thank you. I appreciate it.
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