PETOSKEY – Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology can now begin their education closer to home — and at significant cost savings — thanks to North Central Michigan College’s newest degree program.
Available this fall, the Associate of Science degree with a concentration in engineering technology enables graduates to meet general education requirements with a foundation in mathematics, science and engineering before proceeding to a bachelor’s degree at a university. Credits earned are transferred to North Central’s partner institutions, including Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, and Lake Superior State University.
“This path will allow for a seamless transition to a four-year program in any engineering specialty,” said Stephen Strom, vice president of academic affairs. “It’s also an opportunity for students to enter the job market with industry-recognized certifications, or to continue their education to expand their careers as advanced manufacturing engineers.”
College officials said the new degree is the latest development in North Central’s quest to become a leader in Industry 4.0, so named because it represents the fourth industrial revolution: smart factories with autonomous machines, automated production and more advanced Robotics based on data and machine learning.
“Industry 4.0 has brought greater levels of automation and interconnectivity to the manufacturing process,” said Jim Cousino, dean of careers and technical education at North Central. “It’s the gold standard for companies looking to reskill their current workforce or hire new employees.”
Embedded in the program’s curriculum are standards set by the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), the world’s only certification body providing certifications and stackable micro-credentials related to Industry 4.0.
Program flexibility and customization are key to setting North Central’s program apart, Cousino noted. He added that they are also hugely important for students.
“These micro-credentials are endorsements that recognize knowledge and skills in highly focused areas like electrical systems or troubleshooting programmable logic controllers,” he said. “Students can stack them into specialist-level certifications to continually add to their resume, or they can work their way up to an associate degree.”
Learning takes place in the college’s new Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Lab, which houses hands-on training systems ranging from electromechanical systems to industrial robots, fluid power, drives and motors. At the heart of the lab is an Amatrol 870 Mechatronics System, a replica of the modern Smart Factory that integrates every single lab component into one large, fully automated production line.
“Amatrol’s smart factory is the hub where every single engineering discipline meets the skills and competencies we teach,” said instructor Jerry Brusher. “Here, our students learn to know that and to know how.”
And officials said graduates who know how to do it will be in high demand. Deloitte, a global accounting and consulting firm, projected 2.1 million skilled manufacturing jobs to be available by 2030. Their 2022 Manufacturing Industry Outlook report adds that half of executives expect to increase efficiency through artificial intelligence and technologies like robots and “cobots,” or collaborative robots. Those companies will be looking for skilled engineers and technicians to program, maintain and repair their robots and machines, Cousino said.
“The career prospects are extremely positive,” he said. “We not only prepare our graduates for a job, but for a lucrative career.”