(l-r) Laurel Machine and Foundry Company President Trent Mulloy; Representative Donnie Scoggin; JCJC Board of Trustees member Carolyn Smith; JCJC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Ann Tucker; Ellisville Mayor Lynn Buckhaults; Haas Factory Outlet-Morris Group Director of Education Toni Neary; JCJC Precision Manufacturing and Machining Instructor Chase Elmore; Haas Factory Outlet General Manager Patrick Kane III; Jones County Economic Development Association President Ross Tucker; JCJC President Dr. Jesse Smith; Representative Gary Staples; Jones County Supervisor-Beat 4 David Scruggs; and JCJC Board of Trustees Treasurer Mike Evans.
Government, industry and education officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate a new partnership between Mississippi's Haas Factory Outlet (A Division of Machine Tools LLC) and Jones County Junior College's Precision Machining and Manufacturing Program.
JCJC President Dr. Jesse Smith said he is proud this partnership will be able to bring opportunities benefitting students, industry and the community.
JCJC Precision Machining and Manufacturing Instructor Chase Elmore discusses options in machining education and training with Hinds County Community College's District Director for Career and Technical Education.
In total an investment of just over $50,000 was made to improve the teaching environment of the lab prior to installing the three Haas consigned machines, worth an estimated $300,000.
Government, industry and education officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate a new partnership between Mississippi's Haas Factory Outlet (A Division of Machine Tools, LLC), and Jones County Junior College's (JCJC) Precision Machining and Manufacturing program. The partnership includes the consignment of three state-of-the-art Haas CNC machine tools, as well as a substantial investment to update and bring current technology to JCJC's machine lab. In exchange, the machine lab at JCJC will act as a new Tech Center for Mississippi's Haas Factory Outlet.
"Great things are happening in Jones County because of partnerships like this," said JCJC President, Dr. Jesse Smith. "We (JCJC) want to be a benefit to our community and certainly to corporations that are willing to come in and invest in Jones and in this part of the country."
Preparing for upgrades to JCJC's machine lab, HFO - Machine Tools' Service Manager, Clayton Phillips and JCJC Precision Manufacturing and Machining instructor Chase Elmore spent the summer preparing the facility for the installation of new machines. A total investment of just over $50,000 was made to improve the teaching environment of the lab prior to installing the three Haas consigned machines, worth an estimated $300,000. The machines added to JCJC's lab including a Haas DT-1 drill/tap center, Haas VF-3-YT/50 taper vertical machining center (VMC) and a Haas ST-30Y multitasking CNC lathe with Y-axis outfitted with a new Haas bar-feeder.
"I want to put JCJC on the map as the leading producer of machining students. I want to make it to where Jones is known for this program," said Elmore.
Students at the two-year college will greatly benefit from the upgrades to the lab, as well as having their school become the new showroom for Mississippi's Haas Factory Outlet. First and foremost, because students will gain hands on experience using the latest CNC technology. Second, these students will be prime candidates for jobs as local manufacturers visit the showroom and see them operating the technology they purchase for their own shops.
"We will always make sure we have the machines with the latest, high-end, cutting-edge technology because this is a showroom for us," said HFO - Machine Tool's General Manager Patrick Kane III. He added, "We are going to bring customers in for machine demonstrations and at the same time they will meet the students."
According to Kane, HFO - Machine Tools, LLC wanted to have a showplace that tied together their commitment to industry and education in one location. JCJC offered an ideal location and ample space. With the recent renovation and upgrades they feel confident that customers will find the showroom inviting when they visit for training classes or to see the latest Haas technology performing live cutting demonstrations.
Earlier in the year, JCJC hosted the first Mississippi regional Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC) educator's conference in May. JCJC also received $15,000 from the Gene Haas Foundation to support student scholarships and reinstating the NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) credentials into the program. JCJC is now actively engaged in the HTEC Network - an industry and education led initiative that enables manufacturing technology educators and their schools to acquire and share information on the latest technology, software and educational materials.
"As a part of our mission as a regional Haas Factory Outlet, we are dedicated to education at all levels of learning," said Toni Neary, Educational Director for the Haas Factory Outlets of Morris Group, Inc. "The Haas Commitment to Education is fueled by our passion to develop the next workforce."
Also, on the equipment side of the partnership, JCJC receives free technical support from certified Haas technicians, access to the best machining industry resources to stay abreast of developments and a new and strong partner to help support and enhance the program.
For more information contact:
Haas Factory Outlet -
A Division of Machine Tools, LLC
914 W. Pont Des Mouton Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70507
337-234-0818
www.hfomachinetools.com
Jones County Junior College
www.jcjc.edu