VOLT Institute

What VOLT Institute does

VOLT Institute is a hands-on industrial training center headquartered in Modesto, California, founded in 2017 and operating as a program of Opportunity Stanislaus, a regional economic development organization. The institute delivers competency-based workforce training for advanced manufacturing careers, serving both individual trainees and regional manufacturers across California's Central Valley. Its curriculum is anchored in industry-standard equipment from Amatrol, Rockwell Automation, and FANUC, including a $1.5M+ equipment investment that is described as including the first Amatrol 895 system on the West Coast. The institute holds SACA-authorized testing center status, enabling on-site credentialing aligned to industry-recognized certifications.

Program offerings include the ARPA-funded Fast-Track Electro-Mechanics (13 weeks), Industrial Electro-Mechanics (~23 weeks, $6,250), A.R.M. (~23 weeks, $6,250), Industrial Maintenance Mechanic (48 weeks, $12,500), and six stackable PLC courses priced at $1,095 each. VOLT on the Go is a mobile training program deploying 12 portable industrial training systems directly to employer sites. Instructors are sourced from advanced manufacturing operators including E&J Gallo, Seneca, and the City of Turlock, lending practitioner credibility.

Revenue is generated through three channels: individual tuition across the program stack, employer investor cohort contracts with regional manufacturers (more than 100 manufacturer relationships cited), and ARPA-funded government contracts via the Stanislaus County Workforce Development Board. The commercial model has shifted toward B2B cohort sponsorship, supplemented by subsidized no-cost programs that broaden the entry funnel for trainees.

Name

VOLT Institute

Legal name

Opportunity Stanislaus/VOLT Institute

Website

https://voltinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VOLT Institute is a Modesto, California-based industrial training center operating under Opportunity Stanislaus, delivering competency-based programs in electro-mechanics, PLC, and industrial maintenance for Central Valley manufacturers and individual trainees seeking advanced manufacturing careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Workforce Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Electrical & Motor Controls (EDAOAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Welding Inspection, QA/QC & NDT Prep Training (e.g., CWI) (EDAOADAF)

Keywords

• Industrial maintenance training
• Manufacturing workforce development
• PLC automation training
• Robotics mechatronics education
• Electro-mechanics certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Modesto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Student Tuition and Program Fees: Students pay tuition for certificate programs. Programs range from $1,095 per individual PLC course to $12,500 for the full 12-month Industrial Maintenance Mechanic program. Tuition assistance through Valley First Credit Union student loans and need-based scholarships from employer/workforce partners subsidize costs for eligible students.
2. Workforce Development Contracts (ARPA-funded): The Fast-Track Electro-Mechanic Program is contracted from Stanislaus County Workforce Development, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This represents a government workforce development contract revenue stream.
3. Employer Investor Cohorts: Employers invest in VOLT Institute to gain influence over workforce development and receive on-site training for their employees. Employers can host investor cohorts with training built around their specific equipment and goals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VOLT Institute operates as a hands-on industrial training center delivering competency-based, SACA-aligned certificate programs in industrial maintenance, electro-mechanics, automation/robotics/mechatronics, and PLC controls. Training is conducted on over $1.5 million in industry-grade equipment (Amatrol systems, Rockwell Automation PLC platforms, FANUC robotics) across six dedicated lab areas and a mobile fleet of 12 portable systems, with direct employer placement through more than 100 regional manufacturing partnerships.

Product overview

VOLT Institute is a hands-on industrial training center offering competency-based training programs for advanced manufacturing careers. The portfolio includes four core certificate programs (Fast-Track Electro-Mechanics at 13 weeks, Industrial Electro-Mechanics at 6 months, A.R.M. at 23 weeks, and Industrial Maintenance Mechanic at 12 months), a stackable PLC & Automation series of six standalone 4-week courses, and the mobile VOLT on the Go program bringing portable training to communities. All programs incorporate SACA-aligned curriculum, industry-grade equipment (Amatrol systems, Rockwell Automation platforms, FANUC robots), and direct employer connections for job placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VOLT on the Go: Mobile training capability bringing industry-grade hands-on instruction directly into communities across the Central Valley using 12 portable Amatrol training systems.

Products and services

• Fast-Track Electro-Mechanics Program An accelerated 13-week electro-mechanics training program with 312 total training hours. Open enrollment allows students to begin training every Tuesday. Covers electrical, mechanical, PLC, VFD, robotics, and sensor technologies. Earns up to five SACA Silver Certificates. No-cost to eligible students via ARPA funding through Stanislaus County Workforce Development.
• Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Program A 12-month (48-week) training program costing $12,500 total tuition. Covers mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, pneumatics, welding, fabrication, and machine tools through hands-on lab work and skills assessments. SACA-aligned. Graduates are positioned for roles starting at $30 per hour on average.
• Industrial Electro-Mechanics Program A ~23-week hands-on training program costing $6,250 total tuition. Prepares students for careers with electrical and mechanical systems in industrial facilities, covering motor controls, wiring, troubleshooting, and PLC introduction. SACA-aligned; graduates prepared for roles starting at $30/hour average.
• A.R.M. (Automation, Robotics, Mechatronics) Program A 23-week hands-on training program costing $6,250 total tuition. Teaches fundamentals of mechatronics and prepares professionals to interface, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair modern automation equipment used in advanced manufacturing facilities. Covers safety, electrical systems, PLC, automation controls, variable frequency drives, pneumatics, and mechatronics. SACA-aligned.
• VOLT on the Go Mobile training program delivering industry-grade, hands-on instruction directly to communities across the Central Valley using 12 portable Amatrol training systems. Offers courses such as Introduction to Manufacturing and Introduction to Automation (PLC) at community centers, transit centers, and hotels, removing geographic barriers for underserved communities.
• PLC & Automation Course Series A stackable series of six 4-week standalone courses (Programmable Controllers I & II, PLC Troubleshooting, HMI/Electronic Operator Interface, Industrial Networking & Distributed I/O, and Control Cabinet Build & PLC/HMI Integration), each priced at $1,095. Built on Rockwell Automation platforms (CompactLogix, ControlLogix, Studio 5000, FactoryTalk); courses can be taken individually or stacked into a larger credential.
• Introduction to Manufacturing A two-evening short course teaching electrical relay control fundamentals behind modern manufacturing equipment. Requires no prior experience. Covers relay-based control systems, basic circuit reading, wiring safety, and hands-on practice on live relay control panels; positioned as a feeder experience for entry into the longer certificate programs.
• Employer Investor Cohort Training B2B offering where regional manufacturers invest in VOLT Institute to host customized on-site training cohorts at their own facilities, built around the employer's specific equipment and operational goals. Provides employers a recruitment pipeline of trained technicians and supports incumbent worker upskilling; primary contact is the Executive Director Eric Neuenfeldt.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90%+ graduate placement rate in industry roles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOLT Institute is an authorized SACA testing center. All three core programs (Industrial Maintenance Mechanic, Electro-Mechanics, A.R.M.) are aligned to SACA standards. Students can earn industry-recognized Smart Automation Certification Alliance credentials without leaving campus, giving graduates employer-recognized qualifications.
• Opportunity StanislauscoreOthersParent organization and proud partner of VOLT Institute. Committed to creating a vibrant, healthy economy in the Central Valley by strengthening each company's most valuable asset: their people. Runs the Opportunity Stanislaus office where WorkKeys assessments are proctored.
• Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud partner of VOLT Institute. Collaborates on workforce development initiatives for the Central Valley region, combining educational infrastructure with VOLT's industrial training programs.
• West Modesto Community CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between Opportunity Stanislaus and West Modesto Community Collaborative opens doors for additional training opportunities in West and South Modesto, helping extend VOLT's reach into underserved communities.
• West Stanislaus County Transit Authority (Tracy Transit Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for VOLT on the Go PLC training cohorts at the Tracy Transit Center, enabling mobile training delivery in the Tracy community without requiring students to travel to Modesto.
• Community On-Site Collaborators (VOLT on the Go)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVOLT on the Go works with adult schools and community organizations across the Central Valley: JoHo, Modesto City Schools CTE, Ceres Adult School, Pearson Adult School, TAS, Balance, and others. These organizations help host and promote mobile training cohorts in their communities.
• AmatrolcoreTechnology or IntegrationVOLT's labs are built around Amatrol industry-standard training systems including the 895 Smart Controls Troubleshooting Learning System (first on West Coast), mechatronics production line, process instrumentation systems (T5600), and electrical/motor control training systems. Amatrol's portable systems power VOLT on the Go mobile training.
• Rockwell AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationVOLT's PLC & Automation programs are built on Rockwell Automation platforms including CompactLogix, ControlLogix, Studio 5000, and FactoryTalk — the same platforms used on plant floors across regional manufacturing facilities.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe A.R.M. Lab features a FANUC LR Mate 200iD/4S industrial robot, giving graduates fluency with the most common robot control systems in regional manufacturing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): UTI is a national, publicly traded provider of technical training for automotive, diesel, welding, robotics, and manufacturing industries. It competes for the same advanced-manufacturing student demographic but at significantly greater scale and geographic footprint than VOLT Institute.
• Lincoln Tech: Lincoln Tech is a multi-campus private career college offering programs in skilled trades, industrial technology, HVAC, electrical, and welding. It is a broader incumbent in the same technical/trade school category as VOLT Institute, serving similar career-changer demographics nationally.

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: Per Scholas provides tuition-free technology workforce development training, with a strong employer partner network and placement focus. It shares VOLT's community-based, employer-aligned, no-cost training model and serves similar under-resourced adult learner demographics, though primarily in IT rather than industrial trades.
• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: New Horizons is a global IT and technical training provider offering vendor-authorized certification courses (Microsoft, Cisco, AWS). Its employer cohort training model and modular course catalog parallels VOLT's PLC course stack and employer investor cohort approach, though focused on IT certifications rather than industrial maintenance.
• Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development nonprofit that connects young adults from underserved communities with employer-demand skills and corporate placement. While Year Up's primary focus is IT/business, its mission-aligned model of employer partnerships, no-cost training, and direct job placement closely mirrors VOLT Institute's structure.
• ToolingU-SME (by SME): ToolingU-SME provides online manufacturing and industrial skills training, including courses on PLCs, robotics, mechatronics, and Industry 4.0. It is a direct competitor to VOLT Institute's curriculum on Rockwell Automation platforms, FANUC robots, and process instrumentation, though it delivers via e-learning rather than hands-on labs.
• Goodwill Industries Workforce Development Programs: Goodwill's community-based workforce development programs deliver tuition-supported skills training and job placement services for under-resourced adults. Several Goodwill affiliates run industrial skills training and manufacturing career pathway programs that overlap with VOLT's model of subsidized training plus employer placement.

Regional players

• WyoTech (and other Wyoming technical institutes): WyoTech is a long-standing technical/trade school focused on diesel, automotive, welding, and industrial programs with strong employer placement outcomes. Comparable as a vocational training peer serving career-changers in skilled trades, though geographically concentrated and differently focused than VOLT's regional Central Valley positioning.

Others

• Amatrol: Amatrol is the primary supplier of VOLT Institute's training equipment, including the 895 Smart Controls system, mechatronics production line, and portable training systems. It is also a direct competitor in the sense that Amatrol offers its own e-learning curriculum and Learning Management System used by schools and industrial training programs worldwide.
• Rockwell Automation Academy: Rockwell Automation operates its own training and certification programs (including through its Academy) on the same CompactLogix, ControlLogix, Studio 5000, and FactoryTalk platforms that VOLT teaches on. As the OEM, it represents both a curriculum/credentialing peer and a partner/adjacent ecosystem player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voltinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VOLT Institute