Funding Awarded: $339,939

INDUSTRY PARTNERS:

V-Tek, Cambria, Dotson Iron Castings,  MICO

Key Partners:

South Central College, Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College, MN Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, South Central Workforce Council

Project Summary:

In the Mankato area, South Central College has developed and is delivering four core curriculum Mechatronics classes to workers on MN's Shared Work Pilot Program from five local employers. These businesses, at risk of laying off employees, can reduce employees' hours while they participate in Mechatronics classes. The employees receive unemployment benefits for their reduced hours, employers save on payroll costs, and employees learn valuable new skills. Mechatronics involves mechanics, electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics, and computerized controls. In a second phase of this project, SCC is developing five additional classes, and partnering with Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College to bring this training to northeastern MN.

Project Outcomes:

• 35 people trained through Mechatronics core curriculum classes
• 9 Mechatronics core curriculum classes developed (20 credits total), all stackable and transferable toward the AAS degree in Mechatronics
• Mechatronics curriculum developed to use teaching kits, including electricity trainers, PLC trainers, and computer applications trainers, making the training more flexible and transportable
• Curriculum implemented on Fond du Lac campus through combination of on-site and hybrid learning
• Minnesota state law (Shared Work) amended to accommodate worker training

Project Description:

It started with a discussion between Senator Kathy Sheran and business owner, Denny Seimer, and resulted in 29 employees at risk of being laid off, being trained in mechanics, electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics and computer controls through a South Central College-initiated course called Mechatronics.

Through this project, Minnesota's Shared Work program was modified to allow employees to receive unemployment benefits while taking continuing education courses to upgrade their skills. "We were looking at a layoff and we thought, if there was a time for people to get more training, it would be the ideal time," says Seimer. "We went to the legislature and had the law amended. Now, our workers can upgrade their skills to help us better compete in the automated global economy."

The next step was to develop the course curriculum to meet industry needs. Doug Laven, Director of Mechatronics Technology Center at South Central College describes the major component of the Mechatronics curriculum, "It involves five disciplines (mechanics, electronics, hydraulics, pneumatics and computerized controls) all linked together to achieve automated control. The MNREM grant funded the writing of the courses and the purchasing of equipment needed to do the training. Students who complete all classes will have 20 credits that can be applied to the Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) certificate."

So for 9 months during tough economic times, 7 Mankato area businesses sent employees for retraining one day a week and were able to utilize the Shared Work program so employees were paid for upgrading their skills. Dotson Iron Castings Safety Director, Harley Goff, explains the benefits, "Mechatronics training has been very valuable because these students have beena able to come back from class and immediately apply what they've learned. In talking with our technicians who have attended the classes, I heard that they are now able to solve problems faster and they work more efficiently."

Senator Sheran summarized the importance of the Mechatronics curriculum, "Because it's an essential curriculum for all sectors of renewable energy, it is absolutely necessary to take these pilots statewide."

Laven is doing just that in his work with the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, MN to deliver the Mechatronics courses to workers in that area. Three classes (Electronics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Manufacturing) that meet local industry needs were offered this Spring and more are planned for Fall semester.