Students Can Train for A Career in High-Tech Manufacturing

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - April 20, 2012) - - - The Advanced Integrated Industrial Technology (AIIT) degree has been approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents and will begin at Columbia State Community College in fall of 2012.

"I am extremely excited about this new program for the college," said Dearl Lampley, dean of the science and technology department. "It will train students for the world of high-tech manufacturing with courses in electricity, hydraulics, pneumatics and robotics."

"It has a complicated title, but basically, if a student loves gadgets, mechanics and figuring out how to keep those things working, then we have a place for you," he continued.

"Manufacturing has moved into an era of sophisticated computerized technology. It requires people who are highly skilled in working with complex synchronized pieces of equipment and can troubleshoot the equipment if anything goes wrong," Lampley said.

"There are two aspects of this program that have always been very appealing to me. First of all the training equipment is state-of-the-art and world-class. Going to lab will be like going to a game room for these students. After learning the basics, students will be constantly challenged with trouble shooting and problem solving scenarios. Secondly, the delivery method will be online lectures with labs on campus by appointment. This allows a lot of scheduling flexibility for employed students," he said.

The AIIT is limited to 25 students per year. Students complete the regular college admission application but will need to specify that they are interested in the new AIIT program.

"This is an Associates of Applied Science, which means students should be prepared for the workforce upon completion," explained Lampley. "All AAS degrees require general education courses (16 for AIIT) with the remaining (44) being in the major field of study."

Interested students can contact Dean Lampley at (931) 540-2678 or lampley@columbiastate.edu. To apply go to www.ColumbiaState.edu/admissions.

Photo Caption (AIIT Program Equipment 2): Pictured is the new equipment that Columbia State Community College will be using in the new AIIT program. These training modules include hands-on stations with industrial quality software and equipment to provide learning in mechatronics topics.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.

# # #