Robots today are an integral part of industrial production plants. So as well as knowing about robots, it's important for plant operators to know about control systems, communications technology, sensor systems, etc. In order to meet the growing demand for technical training that this marriage of robotics and automation has created, Deutsche Messe and Volkswagen Coaching have jointly established Germany's first independent academy for robotics and automation: the Robotation Academy. Housed in its own building on the Hannover Exhibition Grounds, it offers a year-round program of high-tech training courses. The broadly based seminar program is specifically geared to the needs of SMEs. Course participants discover how flexible modern automation systems can be, how easy it is to adapt robotics solutions to changing production needs, and how uncomplicated these systems are to operate.