Clark State College has created educational opportunities to help teachers integrate engineering technology concepts into their classrooms. Clark State will offer an Engineering Bootcamp for teachers this July. The two-week bootcamp is offered to teachers at no cost through the ARCTOS Grant.
Participating in this training program will give teachers access to Clark State’s manufacturing lending lab, an instructional lab kit valued at $100, and access to engineering/manufacturing curriculum. Participants will become a part of a network that includes industry and college professionals.
"We are excited to host teachers here for Shull Hall's first Manufacturing Engineering bootcamp,” said Toni Abernathy, high school liaison for the ARCTOS project at Clark State. “We are hoping to host more professional development opportunities in the future to continue building relationships with school teachers.”
Abernathy said Clark State wants teachers to know Clark State is a resource for them and their students.
“Workforce development is important to our team, and we believe that training those who train the future workforce will solve the growing need for skilled workers,” she said.
Teachers who complete the two-week course will earn six (6) credits from Clark State which is equivalent to 18 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
"Teachers will have the opportunity to receive training relative to entry level manufacturing positions, and earn our Manufacturing Foundations short-term technical certificate,” said Nora Hatem, program coordinator and professor, engineering technology at Clark State. “Taking this training will allow teachers to offer the class as a College Credit Plus course. Students will be on a path to receive college credit towards one of Clark State's engineering technology certificates, associate degrees, and applied bachelor's degree."
Clark State received $3,195,374 in 2021 as part of a $13 million initiative by ARCTOS Technology Solutions to implement Smart Manufacturing technologies and training for Ohio colleges and local businesses.
ARCTOS, a global aerospace and defense company was awarded a $13 million Task Order by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to introduce Smart Manufacturing technologies to the curriculum at three Ohio Community Colleges, a congressional initiative to grow manufacturing innovation in the region.
Stephen Williams, director of the ARCTOS Project at Clark State said a technical requirement of the Clark State/ARCTOS partnership is to provide teacher professional developmentthat addresses the primary deterrent to training access and lack of availability of teachers trained in advanced manufacturing best practices related to Laser Materials Processing.
“The efforts will further enable us to develop College Credit Plus dual enrollment opportunities for high school students and introduce students to Laser Materials Processing,” he said.
Engineering Bootcamp for teachers will be held July 10 through July 22 in Shull Hall at Clark State’s main campus in Springfield. Times are to be announced.
Interested teachers are encouraged to attend the Bootcamp Open House on May 4, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to explore the lab and learn more about this opportunity and how Clark State can support engineering technology programs. RSVP is requested by Friday, April 21 to Cathy Tagg at taggm@clarkstate.edu.
Zoom informational sessions will also be held at 3 p.m., April 25 and 6 p.m., May 2. You can access these sessions at https://clarkstate.zoom.us/j/82344867560
For more information about the July 2023 Engineering Bootcamp, contact Toni Abernathy at: abernathyt@clarkstate.edu.