Cincinnati State launches 3-month certificate program for Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Operator jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2015
 
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Robert White
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Cincinnati State launches 3-month certificate program
 for Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Operator jobs
 
Job-readiness in three months
Cincinnati State will soon begin offering an enhanced Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Operator Certification program.
The program was designed in consultation with industry partners to address the growing demand by Greater Cincinnati manufacturers for skilled workers.
The program will be offered through Cincinnati State’s Workforce Development Center, which is based in Evendale, and has several distinct features:

• It is an accelerated program, designed for completion in three months. In a traditional academic setting the same programs could take up to a year to complete.
• It offers those who successfully complete the program a variety of certificates widely recognized by the manufacturing industry as acceptable evidence of competence in specific areas.
• Participants have access to free tutoring services during the course.
• Those who successfully complete the course will have access to job placement assistance and direct engagement with employers who, in most cases, have agreed to have resumes sent directly to their Human Resources managers. 
   

“We’re trying to establish a cost-effective program that prepares individuals quickly for good, stable jobs that our friends in the manufacturing industry are anxious to fill,” said Amy Waldbillig, Cincinnati State’s Vice President for Workforce Development.
At the same time, she noted, the program is being designed to serve as a feeder for Cincinnati State’s wide range of associate degree programs in manufacturing and related fields.
Waldbillig said the enhanced Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Operator Certification program – which will launch Sept. 14 – was built on the framework of one developed specifically by Cincinnati State and the WDC for military veterans. That remains an important audience, she said, but added that the program has been expanded to include a wider range of topics and potential jobs.
Those who successfully complete the program will be able to earn two separate certifications that encompass five separate industry-recognized certificates – documents that can be presented to employers as evidence of having mastered a specific set of skills:

• “Certified Production Technician” (CPT) certification. This requires that students demonstrate mastery of such subject matter as reading blueprints and schematics, as well as the use of measuring tools, calipers, micrometers and the like. Included are certificates in Safety, Quality Assurance, Maintenance Awareness and Manufacturing Processes.
• “Machine Operator 1” certification. This requires an understanding of machining applications and tooling criteria, along with the ability to inspect products and materials to ensure they meet specifications. Students seeking this certificate are also expected to perform basic machining operations such as drilling, tapping, boring, turning, and milling using manual and CNC machine tools. Also included is the “OSHA General Industrial Safety certificate,” which requires a demonstrated knowledge of basic safety standards for factories and similar settings.
   

Cincinnati State President O’dell M. Owens said the Advanced Manufacturing and Machine Operator Certificate program is just one part of the College’s effort to meet the needs of Greater Cincinnati’s employers.
“We were once the center of the machine tool industry, and we’ve always been a place that produced good jobs because we had workers who knew how to make things, especially out of metal,” Dr. Owens said. “Today we’re seeing a nice rebound from the outsourcing boom, and the technology is in place for a whole new wave of manufacturing right here at home. But we need to have trained workers if we’re going to be able to take advantage of that,” he added.
Those who successfully complete the program through the WDC will be eligible for assistance from a career advisor, help with resume preparation and career placement services.
The first class begins Sept. 14; classes will run Monday- Friday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Students will graduate Dec. 16. Cost is $5,000, plus a one-time $15 admission fee; the program is eligible for federal financial aid, GI Bill benefits and, for those who qualify, Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act funding.
For more information, please contact Christine Yancey at (513) 569-4254 or christine.yancey@cincinnatistate.edu or Jerry Whitaker (513) 569-4857 or jerry.whitaker@cincinnatistate.edu. 

ABOUT CINCINNATI STATE
Cincinnati State (www.cincinnatistate.edu) offers more than 130 associate degree and certificate programs in business technologies, health and public safety, engineering technologies, humanities and sciences and information technologies. Cincinnati State has one of the most comprehensive co-op programs among two-year colleges in the U.S.