WNC classes offer chance to launch, further advanced manufacturing careers

Courtesy Steve Yingling, Western Nevada College

Technicians, start your engines. … Here’s an opportunity to earn internationally recognized Siemens Mechatronics certification while you enhance your understanding of complex systems.  Electrical, mechanical, pneumatic and PLC components are studied on actual industrial modules and interactive coursework is designed to develop troubleshooting intuition.

This certification program has a dual purpose — to meet the local needs for a qualified and competent industrial workforce, and to advance the career of technicians living and working in Northern Nevada.

Western Nevada College hosts four accelerated Mechatronics Level 1 courses starting Feb. 26. They are geared toward technicians working in the field of industrial maintenance or production operations, or to individuals who hold the Manufacturing Technician credential.

Classes meet two nights a week until May 16, with open lab hours available for extra hands-on practice. Individuals who enroll in these Applied Industrial Technology classes will earn 12 college credits and will be fully prepared to earn the prestigious Siemens Mechatronic Systems Assistant credential. There are scholarships available to assist with tuition and fees.

“When employers send their technicians to this training program, they are investing in their own technical workforce and in the strength of Nevada by contributing to the development of skilled workers — these middle-skilled careers offer family-sustaining wages and opportunities for upward mobility,” said Emily Howarth, the Electronics and Industrial Technology professor at WNC and a certified Siemens mechatronics instructor.

WNC is uniquely positioned to offer technicians the ability to upgrade their knowledge and skills so they can return to the workforce with new ideas.

“A small investment by a company to send a technician to training will be repaid with long-term results, including reduced downtime and a feeling of pride on the technical team,” explained Professor Howarth.

Employers will benefit as the technicians continue to demonstrate their value to the organization. Employees with Siemens mechatronic certifications contribute to organizations’ productivity — they bring adaptive expertise to the automation production systems of manufacturers and distribution centers.

“We are the only training facility for this program in the western U.S., so there is no need to send technicians back East or to disrupt work schedules” Professor Howarth said.

For more information, contact Howarth at Emily.howarth@wnc.edu.