(Story and photo contributed by Sinclair College)
MASON, OH – Sinclair Community College and Festo Corporation have launched a new partnership that will allow students to earn college credits toward a Sinclair associate degree while gaining critical advanced manufacturing skills on the job.
Individuals who complete the Festo Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program (MAP) will earn 20 credits hours toward a Sinclair Automation and Control Technology with Robotics Associate of Applied Science degree. This leaves only 40 additional credit hours to earn the degree and effectively reduces the tuition cost of obtaining the degree by 30%.
Festo is a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions including pneumatic and electromechanical systems, components, and instruments for process control and factory automation. Festo’s state-of-the-art assembly and distribution center is located in Mason, Ohio. Festo Didactic is the learning arm of Festo.
MAP was established by Festo Didactic to address the workforce skills gap in advanced manufacturing. MAP is designed to help apprentices earn while they learn advanced manufacturing skills in mechatronics. Apprentices work four days a week with an employer and spend one day at the Festo Learning Center in Mason, Ohio, for hands on training. MAP is accepting apprenticeships on a rolling admission basis instead of a semester schedule. The program consists of 57 weeks of training. This schedule allows for more apprentices to enroll faster, train faster, and get to work faster.
“The partnership with Sinclair Community College brings a new dimension to the professionalism and earning power of students interested in fulfilling careers in manufacturing,” said Karolyn Ellingson, Head of Industrial Workforce Development at Festo Didactic.
“This innovative partnership with Festo will strengthen the workforce pipeline by providing the exceptional education and on-the-job training students need for lucrative, rewarding careers in advanced manufacturing,” said Madeline Iseli, Senior Vice President Advancement and Regional Strategy – Sinclair Community College.
Sinclair’s Automation and Control Technology with Robotics associate degree provides electrical and mechanical education and training in developing, installing, programming, and troubleshooting the complex machinery found in the modern manufacturing and supply chain environments. Career paths include electronic engineering technician, industrial maintenance technician, robotics technician, system integrator, and supply chain technician. The degree is offered at Sinclair’s Dayton and Mason campuses.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 11,100 openings for electrical and electronic engineering technicians are projected annually through the year 2031 with the median average salary of more than $63,000.
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