Paul McGuirk, Executive Director, Lincoln College Campus (center), and attendees celebrate the launch of Lincoln's CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology training program.
The Haas VF-2SS, one of the machining centers used in the CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology training program, features a trunnion and 5-axis mill.
Lincoln College of Technology - Grand Prairie, TX, in cooperation with Haas Automation, recently celebrated the launch of its CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology training program. The program will train students in machining fundamentals for mills and lathes, and advanced concepts including 5-axis machining technology. The training also includes simulated workplace exercises. According to a spokesperson, Lincoln is one of the first proprietary school networks in the country to provide training for CNC machining careers.
The CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology curriculum includes training on the manufacturing processes that make components for a variety of end products, from car engines and jet airliners to surgical equipment, cell phones and construction materials. Students train on industry-specific CNC machines from Haas. Lincoln's Grand Prairie campus is equipped with the following Haas machine tools: four TM-1P Toolroom Mills; four TL-1 Toolroom Lathes; a VF-2SS featuring a trunnion and 5-axis mill; and an ST-10 lathe featuring live tooling. "This high-tech, computer-based Haas machinery showcases the future of the American manufacturing industry," said Lincoln CEO Shaun McAlmont.
Lincoln hosted local dignitaries, high school students and other invited guests who toured the campus and viewed live machining demonstrations on the Haas machine tools. Guest speakers included Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen; Peter Zierhut, Haas Vice President and head of Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC); Todd Ellard, National Tooling & Manufacturing Association (NTMA) President - N. TX Chapter; and Scott Shaw, President & Chief Operational Officer, Lincoln Educational Services.
"We need new machinists, welders and CNC operators because demand for that skill level is increasing," said Mayor Ron Jensen, himself a local machine shop owner. "Our military men and women live by the parts we manufacture for the defense industry. Every part has to work." He also spoke on the importance of soft skills - something Lincoln is committed to teaching their students.
The Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC) program, developed 15 years ago, is the heart of the new CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology training program at Lincoln. "Being an American manufacturer, we understand the need for more and stronger manufacturing in the U.S.," said Zierhut. "Programs such as Lincoln's are crucial." Haas' HTEC program has built 2,000 schools around the world, with 1,200 located in the U.S. and Canada, according to Zierhut.
Ellard, a third-generation machinist in his family, spoke of the need for skilled manufacturers. He cited statistics from NTMA's lobbying firm One Voice, the National Manufacturer's Association (NMA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "There are 600,000 skilled manufacturing jobs that are currently unfilled in the United States right now," he said. "There are 2.7 million manufacturing employees who are expected to retire over the next 8 - 10 years. Nationally, manufacturers employ more that 11 million workers directly, and we create almost 7 million more jobs in related industries. The average U.S. manufacturing worker earns $77,000 in annual pay and benefits, compared with $56,000 annually for average workers in other industries. In the state of Texas, manufacturing counts for 14.7% of total output in the state and employs 7.9% of the workforce. The state total output for manufacturing was $192 billion in 2011. We are number two in manufacturing job creation. According to the NMA, manufacturers contributed $1.87 trillion to the economy in 2012 - that is up from $1.73 trillion a year before. That is an increase of 11.9%. We have an urgent need for highly skilled employees."
"At Lincoln, our mission is to provide our students with a good return on their investment," said Scott Shaw, President & Chief Operational Officer, Lincoln Educational Services. "We want the students to come into our campuses, and then as quickly as possible get out into the workforce. We view it as our job to make sure they have the skills to be successful in the workforce. We are very much hands-on training. Our slogan is 'Careers that Build America.' CNC training falls very well into that niche of hands-on training."
Lincoln continues to seek out and establish new partnerships and programs around the country to bridge the skills gap between the abilities of the workforce and the needs of employers. The 152,000+ sq. ft. Grand Prairie campus offers certificate and diploma programs in CNC Machining and Manufacturing Technology, in addition to programs in Automotive, Diesel and Truck Technology, Collision Repair and Refinishing, and Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating (HVAC) Technology. The Grand Prairie campus is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, ACCSC.
For more information contact:
Lincoln College of Technology
2915 Alouette Drive
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
800-777-0366
www.lincolncollegeoftechnology.com
Haas Automation, Inc.
2800 Sturgis Road
Oxnard, CA 93030
800-331-6746
www.HaasCNC.com