Q&A talks with Anita Gliniecki, president of Housatonic Community College about the Bridgeport school’s new manufacturing program.
Q: Let’s start with the basics. What is the new Housatonic Community College Manufacturing Center and Program?
A: The Advanced Manufacturing Center and program at Housatonic Community College (HCC) provides to students the education and hands-on skill development needed to obtain an entry level position in manufacturing. The program consists of two levels of certificate, Level I Manufacturing and Level II Advanced Manufacturing. Taught by instructors who have extensive experience, both hands-on and management level, the students receive instruction and hands-on experience from the basics such as drill press and lathe work to advanced Computerized Numerical Control (CNC). The equipment that is available to the students ranges from basic lathe, drill press, and milling machinery to 5-axis CNC.
Q: How did you identify what manufacturing certificates would be important and why?
A: The state provided funding to build the advanced manufacturing lab and engineering design labs. As part of the agreement to do so, HCC was asked to develop our initial program after the successful manufacturing program at Asnuntuck Community College, which we did. However, in addition, HCC worked with our local Advanced Manufacturing Center Advisory Committee to review the curriculum. This advisory committee will guide the college in further curriculum development including development of new certificates and short term non-credit course development.
Q: The center will feature an advanced manufacturing laboratory and engineering design studio to support the college’s credit and non-credit manufacturing courses. Do you expect more of your courses to be credit or non-credit? What makes one more appealing than the other?
A: At this time, the majority of students will be in credit programs. These credit courses will always be important for those students who have little or no experience in the manufacturing industry or with industry fundamentals such as shop math, blueprint reading and gauge handling. As the college works with our local manufacturers, HCC will develop with the companies the specific short-term upgrade non-credit programs and additional certification programs. The long-term expectation is that the college will offer more non-credit courses as many of these courses will be short-term intensive training upgrades.
Q: What do your project the ultimate mixture of first-time students and older students returning for new job skills will be? Also, will you be working with companies to develop specific skill sets for their needs?
A: There are two different questions here — first the mix of the traditional community college student who has come from high school and is taking his/her first steps into higher education versus the older students that are changing career or looking for education to advance their prospects is about 50/50 in the program. Certainly we are recruiting from the high schools in general and the vocational schools in particular but we are also partnering with other state agencies such as the Workforce Investment Board, veterans agencies and more to bring in that older, trainable student looking for a new opportunity. Both recruiting streams will be critical to the success of the program.
The second question is also critical to the long-term success of the program. Our students are the product that the industrial community is consuming. This program must provide a product that is ready, willing and able to meet the needs of the market. To do this we have to take the needs of the regional industrial community into consideration.
Q: What are some of the more in-demand certification programs being offered through your program?
A: Currently there are only the two — The Level One Manufacturing Certificate and the Level Two Advanced Manufacturing Certificate. Development of additional program certificates is in process. This includes the Advisory Committee input and advice for what they need, as well as additional funding potential to create a new welding program. As the effort moves forward, the vision includes certification in areas such as Metrology, CNC Programming, CAD/CAM and others either as independent certificate programs or as specializations within the existing program.
Q: What are your expectations for employment opportunities for students coming out of these programs?
A: Currently there are approximately 5,000 manufacturing companies here in the state. There are approximately 165,000 individuals employed at those companies on the shop floor with various responsibilities. As the wave of 55+ individuals begin to retire, more than half of those employed, over the next 5-10 years the need for skilled replacements will be significant. Already, HCC’s industrial partners have indicated to us that there are machines sitting idle in their shops because they cannot find the skilled talent to operate them. Thus local manufacturers have contributed funds to the HCC Foundation to provide scholarships for students in the Advanced Manufacturing Program. Our surveys have shown that at one point early last summer there were over 170 positions open for skilled shop workers. Our expectations for the employment of our students is that if they put in the effort to succeed in this program and excel that there are jobs waiting for them.
