“With no pun intended, it is beyond the nuts and bolts. It really is thinking about manufacturing as a process and being able to help management at the plant actually bring to life the aspirations of the company,” says Bruce McPheron, executive vice president and provost of the Ohio State University.

The new program comes on the heels of North Central State College's first four-year program, a bachelor’s degree of applied science in mechanical engineering technology (BASMET), which launched this fall.

Graduates will be ready to serve the needs of businesses in a number of industries, helping develop the form and function of components, machines and systems, as well as designing assembly and production processes. The program consists of seven terms of projects, followed by a co-op.

“These students are receiving hand-on training in labs that replicate those in area manufacturers. Then they have the added advantage of being able to work as interns in those companies,” says Dan Wagner, director and chair of the program.

All coursework for both degrees will be available at the OSU/NCSC campus in Mansfield. The university collaborated with multiple local businesses while developing programs.

“These programs align to the needs of area businesses for highly-skilled workers,” notes Dorey Diab, president of NCSC. “By growing our own talent, we counter a portion of the brain drain, where our talented young professionals leave the area. We want to equip these students with the needed education, employ them in rewarding careers, and help them become the next generation of leaders of our regional economy.”

“Local companies have said, ‘Yes, we want interns coming in, we want to hire these graduates,’” says McPheron. "So even through the course of their studies, it's likely that they'll spend time in actual manufacturing facilities, seeing how their class work is put into practice.”