WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A manufacturing-related major, promoting versatile, recession-proof skills is being added to Pennsylvania College of Technology’s academic portfolio this fall.
The new metal fabrication technology associate degree will furnish students with well-rounded skills in welding, machining and sheet-metal fabrication. The result will be graduates possessing a unique technical skill set attractive to industry.
“There is a huge deficit of young people working in welding and machining,” said David R. Cotner, dean of industrial, computing and engineering technologies. “In the past couple months alone, I’ve had at least a half-dozen companies contact me looking for students who have such a skill set. There are going to be great employment opportunities for graduates.”
Those opportunities exist in companies that specialize in custom metal fabrication, specialty parts fabrication, all forms of industrial manufacturing, and classic vehicle maintenance and repair. Typical job titles include metal fabricator, assembler, machinist, computer numerical control technician, production technician, manufacturing assistant and production welder.
“Depending on their employer, graduates of this program will be able to take projects from start to finish,” Cotner said. “That’s one of the many benefits of possessing diverse technical skills.”
The first year of the program will focus on machining, and the third and fourth semesters will be devoted to welding. With just an additional year of study, students may also obtain a second associate degree in welding technology or machine tool technology.
“We anticipate that many students will take advantage of the unique opportunity to add to their metal fabrication technology degree with an additional associate degree,” Cotner said.
Graduates of the new program can also pursue a bachelor’s degree in welding and fabrication engineering technology, manufacturing engineering technology, applied technology studies, applied innovation or applied management.
For information about the metal fabrication technology degree or any of the programs offered by the School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520 or visit www.pct.edu/icet.
Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development. For more, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.