LIFT opens advanced manufacturing Learning Lab in Puerto Rico
The Detroit-based institute’s facility in Caguas will offer training in robotics and other high-demand skills.
LIFT, the national manufacturing innovation institute supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, has opened a new Learning Lab in Caguas, Puerto Rico, to equip students, educators and professionals with practical experience in advanced manufacturing technologies.
The facility is part of LIFT’s strategy to build a skilled workforce for a sector that continues to evolve with new materials and automation. The Caguas lab provides immersive training in robotics, automation, materials science, electronics, metrology and mechatronics — fields that are increasingly important to modern industries.
“We’re grateful that LIFT is expanding its operations in Puerto Rico by opening this strategic lab that will greatly benefit our economic development efforts, based in strengthening innovation and updating the technological skills of our workforce continuously, to keep attracting advanced manufacturing to the island,” said Carlos Ríos-Pierluisi, deputy secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.
Puerto Rico’s manufacturing sector accounts for nearly half of its gross domestic product and spans industries such as biotechnology, aerospace, medical devices and electronics. The new Learning Lab is positioned to support this sector’s growth by focusing on workforce readiness and innovation.
The Puerto Rico government has also backed LIFT’s expansion with a $2 million allocation from the Economic Incentives Fund, administered by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. The investment supports the institute’s affiliate program in Puerto Rico, focused on preparing the local workforce in areas such as precision manufacturing, robotics, and digital systems.
Since launching its Puerto Rico operations in 2023, LIFT has collaborated with seven educational institutions and 12 companies to train more than 200 participants in welding and other advanced skills — efforts that have already led to new jobs and business ventures, according to the agency.
Caguas Mayor William Miranda-Torres said the city is proud to host the institute’s first Learning Lab in Puerto Rico.
“Our municipal administration is aware of the need to focus its efforts on innovation and is committed to collaborating to develop a workforce that will allow us to be competitive locally and globally,” he said.
Nigel Francis, CEO and executive director of LIFT, said the new site serves both the institute’s national priorities and Puerto Rico’s local needs.
“The Learning Lab in Caguas brings our national mission to life in a deeply local way,” Francis said. “We’re building a talent pipeline that is agile, informed and prepared to thrive in a world where technology evolves at lightning speed.”
Located at Lincoln Plaza, the Caguas facility opened in April 2024 as a regional extension of LIFT’s Detroit headquarters. It is now open to schools, educators, students and individuals interested in developing skills for high-tech manufacturing careers.
