COD Hosts Fourth Annual Northern Illinois Regional HTEC Technical Educators Conference
More than 130 attendees representing manufacturing industry leaders from throughout the Midwest and educators from high schools, colleges and universities recently visited College of DuPage for the Fourth Annual Northern Illinois Regional Technical Education Center Network (HTEC) Technical Educators Conference and the grand reopening of the College's Manufacturing Technology lab. Click here to see photos from this event. "This event brings together representatives from education and industry to share ideas and promote growth," said Manufacturing program Coordinator Jim Filipek. "This is also a great opportunity to demonstrate the latest technologies, recruit highly-qualified individuals into the manufacturing industry and to demonstrate the resources that a community college can offer local businesses."
During his introductory talk, College of DuPage Acting Interim President Dr. Joseph Collins said enrollment is up in the technical education areas of COD, with the Manufacturing program numbers up 19 percent and the Welding program up 31 percent over last year.
"These increases speak volumes for what the faculty and staff at COD are doing to grow these programs," he said.
Collins said COD recognizes manufacturing and related trades are a backbone of U.S. industry and, subsequently, COD is dedicated to providing the type of real-life education that help students achieve success.
"College of DuPage is completely committed to technical education," he said. "Over the past 18 months, we've added two new full-time instructors, completed a facelift of the Manufacturing Lab, added new degrees and credentials in Computer Numerical Control Machining and Welding, enhanced the program with state-of-the-art equipment, and have awarded 18 scholarships totaling nearly $70,000."
The conference, which COD hosted for the first time this year, included showcases from 27 manufacturing companies, including ABB Robotics, AutoDesk, Benz Inc., CNC Concepts, HAAS, Lincoln Electric, JBH Technologies, Manor Tool., Raspberry Pi and Signode Industrial Group. Ten breakout sessions highlighted cutting-edge technologies offered in manufacturing, including paperless manufacturing, robotics and 3-D printing. Representatives from COD's Career Services and Engineering Club were on hand to provide information and answer questions and a roundtable discussion featuring industry and education experts explored the power that educators and industry professionals have to improve the U.S. manufacturing industry. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the Technical Education Center as well as the rest of COD's Glen Ellyn campus.
The Manufacturing Technology program at College of DuPage provides hands-on state-of-the-art training in a wide variety of skill areas of product manufacturing and services and offers degrees and certificates automated manufacturing systems, drafting and design, manufacturing technology, and manufacturing engineering technology.
Click here for more information on the Manufacturing Technology program at College of DuPage.
In support of providing students with a relevant, high-tech and hands-on educational experience, the HTEC is an industry and education led initiative that enables manufacturing technology educators and their schools to acquire the latest CNC machine tools and related CNC ancillary equipment, software and educational materials.