ECTC addresses industrial workforce needs through new academic program

As Kentucky’s manufacturing sector continues to evolve with new electrical, mechanical and automation systems, academic programming at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC) is evolving along with it. 

We at ECTC are excited to launch a new advanced manufacturing academic program known as Automation, Industrial and Robotics Technology (AIRT) to deliver high-quality education that fuels regional economic development. This program signals a strategic shift to prepare students for the increasing use of robotics and automation in today’s industrial workspaces. 

The AIRT program evolved from three existing programs, including Engineering and Electronics Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology and most tracks of the Electrical Technology program, combining them into one streamlined, employer-driven curriculum. ECTC will continue to offer the Electrical Technology program’s electrical construction track for aspiring residential and commercial electricians.

Advisory boards from each of the original programs, made up of local employers, collaborated through joint reviews to shape the new curriculum, focusing on the skills students need to succeed in today’s job market. Through the new program, students can choose from five career-focused tracks: Instrumentation and Process Control, Automation and Robotics, Electronics Automation, Manufacturing Maintenance and Mechatronics. 

The collaboration didn’t stop with local industry. This program also is bolstered by a partnership between the ECTC Robbins University Center and the University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering, which is allowing students in the program’s Mechatronics track to seamlessly transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree in applied engineering at UofL. And the best part is that students don’t have to leave Hardin County to earn that four-year degree. 

UofL will offer classes at the ECTC BlueOval SK Training Center in Glendale, a significant benefit for working students and employers alike. Applied engineering programming is crucial for today’s workforce, as it fills the space between two-year technical programs and four-year engineering degrees, focusing on real-world problem solving and industry-specific skills. 

Graduates in the AIRT program won’t just walk away with an associate degree, they’ll earn stackable credentials along the way. In fact, many students will complete short-term certificates in their first semester, giving them a jumpstart into high-paying and high-demand jobs before graduation. 

Students in the program are supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Accelerator Project (AMAP), which builds a talent pipeline starting in middle school, and continuing through high school, ECTC, internships and ultimately employment in advanced manufacturing.

Classes for the fall semester begin Aug. 18, and while the AIRT program is not yet eligible for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, we anticipate that designation soon. In the meantime, new students are encouraged to meet with their advisor to map out their best path forward.

Whether students are looking to enter the workforce with an associate degree or pursue a bachelor’s degree, the AIRT program will better prepare them for success in automation, robotics and manufacturing careers, which are becoming more and more crucial in the Lincoln Trail workforce and beyond. This program is a reflection of what our incredible faculty believe technical education should be: responsive, hands-on, and built upon strong regional partnerships. 

For more information about ECTC programs, visit ectc.us/airt or call 270-769-2371. 

Dr. Telly Sellars serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and as a member of the Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board. He can be reached at telly.sellars@kctcs.edu.