A record number of individuals have enrolled in the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center’s (MAMC) career skills programs for the fall term. New students hail from nine West Virginia counties as well as Lawrence County, Ohio; and Boyd County, Ky.
MAMC’s new industrial maintenance program: SMART (Systems Maintenance, Automation and Robotics Technology) – created in response to the critical needs of area manufacturers – is at capacity in both Huntington and Point Pleasant.
The Welding Technology Program, offered in Cabell and Wayne counties, has been full for several weeks, with a growing waiting list of prospective students for spring term. MAMC will double the number of welding students it educates when renovations and construction of its new Welding & Robotics Technology Training Center is complete, which is scheduled for late 2025 on the site of the former ACF Industries in Huntington.
MAMC’s Machinist Technology/CNC Program is at capacity in Huntington with a waiting list for January classes. Beginning this month, MAMC expanded the program to South Charleston, where several students are developing skills for careers as machinists at MAMC’s Advanced Manufacturing Education and Training Center in the West Virginia Regional Technology Park.
MAMC partners with Mountwest Community and Technical College to offer college degree options as part of its machining, welding and SMART programs in the Huntington area as well as SMART at the Marshall University Mid-Ohio Valley Center in Point Pleasant. The machinist program in South Charleston is a degree-option collaboration with BridgeValley Community and Technical College.
“To meet the growing demand for skilled manufacturing workers in our region, we’ve create the new SMART program, expanded our machinist program to the Kanawha Valley and are doubling the capacity of our welding program,” said MAMC Director Derek Scarbro. “This, combined with the fact that well over 90 percent of our students find jobs in their chosen – many before graduation – speaks to the local demand for highly skilled workers in manufacturing.
“I’m so proud of the MAMC team: our student recruiters, our instructors, our program managers, and everyone for this achievement. We know we can and must do more to help manufacturers get quality employees into these well-paying, family sustaining jobs and we will continue to work to grow these programs.”
Scarbro said robust industry engagement is one of the key factors in the programs’ success. Manufacturers across the region hire MAMC students and graduates, assist with curriculum development, and welcome students into their facilities to see 21st century manufacturing up close.
“Just this week, Rust-Oleum Corp. of Lesage hosted our SMART students for a tour, the Mull Group of Wheeling provided food for our Student Appreciation Luncheon, Steel of West Virginia representatives spoke to our students about manufacturing career opportunities, and Nucor of Mason County hired two of our new SMART students,” Scarbro said. “And it’s only the first week of the semester!”
MAMC accepts applications for its career skills programs throughout the year. New classes begin in January. To learn more, visit www.mfg.marshall.edu/career-skills.
Aug. 29, 2024
