Written By: Alex Stern, Economic Development Intern
October is Manufacturing Month, a time when we celebrate the manufacturing industry and its importance to Kentucky’s Bluegrass region. For both individuals and firms looking to locate, Greater LEX is home to a variety of degree and certification programs training tomorrow’s workforce. In this blog post, we’ll highlight several of these programs and their offerings.
BCTC’s Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program (AMT)
Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s AMT program is a two-year associate’s degree that emphasizes real-world experience and expertise in industry practices. Students attend classes full-time two days a week and then work with a sponsoring manufacture the other three days. Students earn a wage and get to gain experience with local manufactures and potential future employers. Gaining hands-on experience, networking with local firms, and getting to learn with state-of-the-art equipment housed at BCTC’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Georgetown are just some of the highlights of this program.
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EKU’s Manufacturing Engineering Program
Eastern Kentucky University is the only public university in Kentucky graduating manufacturing engineers. Their bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering is a four-year program that provides students with the engineering and management fundamentals that will help them in each stage of the manufacturing pipeline. The program offers concentrations in Quality and Lean Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing, and Industrial Health and Safety. One of the features of the program is its internships, through which students benefit from EKU’s partnership with local and regional industries. Thinkers, doers, and aspiring professional problem-solvers are welcome!
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UK’s Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
University of Kentucky’s College of Engineering is home to a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs. With programs spanning fields from Computer Science to Aerospace to Biotech, Pigman College of Engineering is Kentucky’s largest and highest-ranked engineering college. The college also offers undergraduate research opportunities where engineering students get to work with a faculty mentor and apply what they’ve learned to real-world situations.
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UK’s Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing
University of Kentucky’s Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing (ISM) is a multidisciplinary collaborative research unit whose goal is to develop and advance sustainable manufacturing in Kentucky and beyond. Their faculty and researchers conduct research, as well as offering educational programs and outreaching to industry with new technologies and practices. The ISM offers an online Master’s in Manufacturing Systems Engineering for engineers looking to continue their education and develop their manufacturing skills and knowledge. The program can be finished in as little as a year, with options for both thesis and non-thesis tracks.
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UK’s Institute for Research and Technology Development
Since 2007, University of Kentucky’s Institute of Research for Technology Development (IR4TD) has engaged in research, education, and service activities designed to help companies develop and use quality technologies. Utilizing their two on campus laboratories, the IR4TD specializes in four primary areas of research: paint and spray technology, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems, non-destructive evaluation, and lean systems. They also offer two programs in Research and Development and Lean Systems.
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Berea’s Engineering Technologies & Applied Design Program
Berea’s ETAD department offers a four-year degree in Engineering Technologies and Applied Design, with additional options for concentrations in technology management and technology education. Some of the courses offered in this program include courses in power and energy technology, design, electricity/electronics, and materials. ETAD also offers internships; interns have worked with companies such as Big Ass Fans, Link-Belt Cranes, Hyster-Yale, and R.J. Corman.
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Asbury’s Engineering Mathematics
While not an engineering school, through its math department Asbury offers its Engineering Mathematics Bachelor, where students take courses that will help them prepare for a Master’s in Engineering. Alongside math, physics and chemistry courses, students pick from several concentrations: Bioengineering, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering, and Materials and Energy Science Engineering.
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Centre’s Dual-Degree Engineering Program
Centre College offers a dual degree program in partnership with University of Kentucky and Washington University – St. Louis. Students take classes at Centre for three years, majoring in chemistry, mathematics, biology, computer science, environmental studies, or physics. Afterwards, they transfer to one of the partnering universities for their engineering courses, which usually takes around two years. After this, students receive degrees from both Centre college and the engineering school.
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With its impressive industry diversity, manufacturing jobs in the Greater LEX region can take many forms. This October, we are thankful for our manufacturing industry, and the colleges and universities that help develop our future workforce.
