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Progress — 2014
Nicolet expands manufacturing training
Entrepreneurial workshops offered for Vilas residents
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BY TERRY RUTLIN
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
NICOLET COLLEGE
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With a focus on advancing economic
development in the North Woods, Nicolet College continues to expand manufacturing training for students and business throughout the region and offer
specialized entrepreneurship training
specifically for Vilas and Oneida county
residents.
Recently, the college, located in
Rhinelander, added the two-year manufacturing associate degree for electromechanical technology.
“Manufacturing has many specialties
and Nicolet’s new electromechanical
technology degree is a perfect complement to the college’s other academic offerings in this field,” said Brigitte
Kumbier, Nicolet dean of trade and industry.
Classes are expected to start in the
fall semester of 2014.
As with all new academic programs,
the college surveys area employers to
gauge demand for potential graduates
with a special skill set.
“The survey for this program showed
that area manufacturers were excited to
hear that the college was looking at
starting an electromechanical program,”
Kumbier added. “They strongly supported Nicolet in this effort.”
As for the job itself, electromechanical technicians install, troubleshoot, repair, and upgrade electronic and computer-controlled mechanical systems,
such as automated assembly machines.
The skill set required combines knowledge of mechanical engineering technol-
ogy with knowledge of electrical and
electronic circuits.
The average annual salary in Wisconsin six months after graduation is
$39,309, which increases with experience.
This new degree brings to a dozen the
total number of academic credentials
Nicolet offers in manufacturing. They
range from short-term certificates to
two-year associate degrees. Each credential is structured so that it ladders into
the next, meaning that the credits
earned in a short-term certificate can be
applied to a more advanced diploma program. These credits can then ultimately
be applied to a two-year associate degree.
“That’s one of the beauties of Nicolet’s
manufacturing program. Students can
earn a college credential relatively
quickly and then use that as the foundation for higher academic credentials,”
Kumbier said.
Welding lab expansion
With local demand for skilled welders
at an all-time high, last year the college
also expanded its welding lab to accommodate more students and also developed an accelerated sequence of classes.
Last year, the lab grew from 17 workstations to 23, according to Nicolet College President Elizabeth Burmaster.
This expansion is just one in a growing list of recent activities to accommodate more students. Two years ago, the
program doubled in size by adding more
Students in Nicolet’s new electromechanical technology associate degree program
will learn how to install, operate and troubleshoot computer equipment.
Nicolet College has significantly expanded its welding program, offering students
the training they need for good-paying jobs.
—Contributed Photos
classes, and last year, a third section of
classes was added to train even more
skilled workers.
The new accelerated sequence of
classes gives students the option to
graduate in as little as seven months
compared to taking the same classes
over a full year.
“Area employers have told us they
still need more welders, so adding more
workstations and offering an accelerated
sequence of classes were the next best
ways for us to meet that demand,” Burmaster said.
Nicolet also recently upgraded its
welding equipment and hired an additional instructor and academic advisor.
The expansion is thanks to two recent
grants totaling $1.2 million from the
state and federal governments.
Along with physical upgrades, the
college also revamped curriculum with
significant input from area employers.
“We wanted to make sure that the
skills taught in our labs and classrooms
were an exact fit with what is needed in
the workplace,” Burmaster said. “By
bringing in employers, we were able to
hear firsthand about the skill sets they
need. We then took this information and
updated our curriculum to match those
needs.”
The curriculum now places a greater
emphasis on soft skills such as communication, teamwork and customer relations.
“Employers told us that these soft
skills are vital to a productive and efficient work environment, so we included
more instruction in these areas as well,”
Burmaster added.
For more information about training
for a career in manufacturing, call Nico-
let at (715) 365-4493, 1-(800) 544-3039,
ext. 4493; TDD (715) 365-4448. More information is also available at nicoletcollege.edu.
Entrepreneurship training
In January of this y X\