To meet that demand, Suffolk County Community College (SCCC), Brentwood, New York, together with Festo Corp., Hauppage, New York, recently unveiled the new Advanced Mechatronics Training Center.
The new center has high-tech manufacturing and process control equipment suitable for world-class training. It was created to generate greater awareness among students, schools, industry leaders, workforce and economic developers and government officials about the variety of career paths available within manufacturing.
As part of the effort to provide affordable higher education and workforce development opportunities, SCCC applied for and received a three-year $2.4 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration to train workers for advanced manufacturing. The resulting curriculum includes Mechatronics, giving potential factory workers skills to increase employment opportunities and salaries.
More than 200 workers from more than 38 manufacturers enrolled in the mechatronics certification program since last spring. The college now plans to offer an associate degree program next fall. Festo is also working with other community colleges throughout the U.S. to establish training centers that keep up with technology.
More Information:
Learning System Division of Festo Corp.
