Controls Technician - US Veteran Trainee Program
About this opportunity
Rockwell Automation is a global technology leader focused on helping the world’s manufacturers be more productive, sustainable, and agile. With more than 28,000 employees who make the world better every day, we know we have something special. Behind our customers - amazing companies that help feed the world, provide life-saving medicine on a global scale, and focus on clean water and green mobility - our people are energized problem solvers that take pride in how the work we do changes the world for the better.
We welcome all makers, forward thinkers, and problem solvers who are looking for a place to do their best work. And if that’s you we would love to have you join us!
Job Description
Academy of Advanced Manufacturing Overview:
The Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM) is an in-residence technical training program that prepares transitioning service members and veterans with the automation, instrumentation, and controls skills required in today’s manufacturing environments. The program blends structured classroom instruction with extensive hands‑on lab experiences to build confidence, system understanding, and practical problem‑solving capabilities. Upon graduation, trainees are equipped to help fill critical technical workforce gaps across the manufacturing industry.
Job Summary:
AAM Trainees participate in an immersive, full-time training program designed to build system awareness, diagnostic thinking, and proficiency in modern industrial controls and automation technologies. The curriculum combines structured lessons, hands-on labs, software-based exercises, and scenario-driven troubleshooting aligned with real-world manufacturing needs. In addition to technical training, trainees engage in an integrated hiring process, connecting with program-affiliated manufacturing partners for full-time employment opportunities in roles closely related to the program’s curriculum.
Training Schedule & Structure
Program Cost: 100% free to US Military Veterans and transitioning Service Members
Housing Location: Cambria Hotel (Downtown Milwaukee)
Transportation: Shuttle service provided to and from training Monday–Friday
Training Location: Rockwell Automation Global Headquarters, Milwaukee, WI
Program Duration: 11 weeks
Training Wage: $12/hour
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Includes a one‑hour lunch break
Training Mix: 70% hands‑on learning in advanced lab using training stations and scenario‑based exercises
30% classroom instruction focused on foundational concepts
Technical Curriculum
Trainees complete coursework aligned to the following modules:
Industrial Automation Principles
Logix Foundation
Logix Troubleshooting
EOI Maintenance
Industrial Controls Network
Instrumentation
Motor Control
Variable Frequency Drives
Tools & Technologies Used
Trainees work with modern industrial technology and training equipment, including:
Basic hand tools and electrical tools (e.g., wiring tools, multimeters)
Industrial controllers
Human‑machine interfaces (HMIs)
Low‑voltage motors
Variable frequency drives (VFDs)
Instrumentation devices
Industrial network equipment
Company-Issued computer preloaded with training software
Daily Training Standards & Responsibilities
Trainees are expected to:
Arrive prepared and on time each day.
Attend all instructional sessions, labs, coaching, and evaluations.
Complete assigned exercises, labs, projects, and written and practical assessments.
Follow all safety guidelines related to Housing and Training environments.
Participate in individual and team‑based learning and problem solving.
Demonstrate consistent effort and growth in technical competency.
Physical Requirements
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during classroom and lab activities.
Ability to work with small components, tools, and test instruments.
You must be able to lift 50 lbs throughout the day.
Basic Qualifications:
U.S. military veteran or transitioning service member with favorable standing or discharge (e.g., Honorable or General under Honorable Conditions)
Must provide a DD-214 to verify military service and discharge status
Willingness and ability to relocate anywhere in the U.S. for job placement with program-affiliated manufacturing partners
Must possess technical experience from either time in service or civilian career
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience working with 3-phase power systems
Industrial electrical experience with medium to high voltage systems (typically 208v, 240v, 277v, 480v, and above)
Industrial systems/equipment troubleshooting and maintenance experience
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Demonstrated ability to learn new technical concepts
Strong computer skills
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans.
If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (844) 404-7247.
Job details
How this role compares
Computed from every other active Controls Technician role in our database, not just this employer's listings.
We currently track 313 comparable Controls Technician roles across 6 employers.
Salary context
55 of 313 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)
Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.
Where these roles are based
Top locations among the 313 comparable roles
+ 3 more countries
Seniority mix
65 of 313 peers have a known seniority level
Similar opportunities
The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.
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How we calculate "similar"
No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.
Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.
0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.