Manufacturing, machining majors boosted by $1 million grant

The Gene Haas Foundation has awarded a $1 million grant to Pennsylvania College of Technology to facilitate renovations and upgrades to the college’s 12,200-square-foot automated manufacturing lab, which will be known as the Gene Haas Center for Innovative Manufacturing.

Construction funded by the grant includes the creation of a new CNC (computer numerical control) programming and simulation lab and classroom with associated technology. The CNC simulation lab will create an optimal learning environment, allowing for enhanced instruction and better transitions between classroom and shop learning.

Newly designed workstations and designated cabinet space, tooling and toolboxes, and equipment layout will model Lean, Six-Sigma, and 5S industry standards. Upgrades to the loading dock will better simulate manufacturing and industrial access in the lab.

The grant will fund significant improvements to the HVAC and electrical systems in the lab – located in the College Avenue Labs facility on main campus – to accommodate new state-of-the art equipment and work stations that will be purchased by the college. Upgraded flooring, lighting and sound abatement will enhance learning and overall aesthetics.

“The Gene Haas Foundation has demonstrated a passion and engagement for education that has impacted many students in the past and will continue to impact generations of future students. This gift is no exception,” President Michael J. Reed said. “Penn College is grateful to the Gene Haas Foundation for this generous partnership that will greatly enhance the new Gene Haas Center for Innovative Manufacturing, helping to showcase the unique and satisfying careers that are part of the machining and manufacturing industries.”

“The Gene Haas Foundation is pleased to partner with Penn College to announce the new Gene Haas Center for Innovative Manufacturing,” said Kathy Looman, director of education & Gene Haas naming grants. “This grant is an endorsement of the very best training programs in the world, and we believe that the education received at Pennsylvania College of Technology is an example for other programs to aspire to. Hands-on technology education offered at Penn College is what the industry needs for a qualified and skilled workforce, and what sets graduates up to be leaders in their field. We thank Penn College for helping the Gene Haas Foundation achieve our mission of expanding the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training.”

The Gene Haas Foundation has been a supporter of Penn College since 2003 for scholarships and Baja SAE sponsorship. The foundation is currently honored on the Visionary Society ($100,000-$499,999) of the college’s Donor Wall and will be moving to the Millionaires Society ($1 million-plus) with this grant award.

The upgraded Gene Haas Center for Innovative Manufacturing will help Penn College:

• Enhance program curriculum and course offerings for students and incumbent workers by increasing and enhancing automation learning objectives at all levels of the two- and four-year degrees and the machining certificate.
• Elevate the national visibility of Penn College programs.
• Strengthen and increase program enrollment.
• Fulfill the unmet demand for highly skilled employees across a number of industries.
• Market Penn College and the manufacturing industry to a younger audience during annual recruitment/industry awareness activities and summer camps.
• Utilize updated lab space to host industry training sessions.

The grant supports the college’s automated manufacturing and machining program cluster, which includes four stackable credentials that build upon curriculum, offering flexibility for students to pursue the education that’s right for them and their career goals. The credentials are: Certificate – CNC Machinist (two semesters); Associate of Applied Science Degree – Machine Tool Technology (four semesters); Associate of Applied Science Degree – Automated Manufacturing Technology (five semesters); and Bachelor of Science Degree – Manufacturing Engineering Technology (eight semesters).

This lab improvements will also help support Workforce Development at Penn College, which is deploying Modular, Industry-Driven Apprenticeship Strategies (MIDAS) as an expansion apprenticeship model through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.

The competency-based approach to apprenticeship delivers related technical instruction and on-the-job training work processes in reasonably-sized training modules. Each MIDAS module provides a minimum of 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training.

Work on the lab renovations and upgrades is expected to begin in May and be largely completed by the Fall 2023 semester.

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For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education and a special mission affiliate of Penn State, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.