Pennsylvania College of Technology is providing a new pathway for aspiring skilled machinists and computer numerical control operators. The college is accepting applications for its CNC machinist certificate, offered for the first time this fall.
“Industry needs skilled machinists and CNC operators. This program can be completed in nine months, so students can quickly obtain the skills required by industry and get right to work,” said Bradley M. Webb, dean of industrial, computing and engineering technologies.
The certificate is geared to recent high school graduates and incumbent workers who wish to obtain additional training and skills for an advanced position.
Coursework includes mill and lathe operations, precision measurement, blueprint reading, and CNC programming.
The certificate feeds into the college’s associate degrees in machine tool technology and automated manufacturing technology, and its bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering technology.
“The certificate can serve as a stepping-stone to a degree,” Webb said. “Students who obtain the certificate can get right to work and get paid while they complete one of the degree options. I anticipate that many students will choose that route.”
A portion of a three-year $685,297 National Science Foundation grant paid for the development of the certificate. The grant – Implementing the Mechanisms to Lessen the Talent Gap in Advanced Manufacturing – is from the NSF’s Advanced Technology Education program.
For information on the CNC machinist certificate and other majors offered by the School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.
Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. Email the Admissions Office or call toll-free at 800-367-9222.