NSF awards Front Range grant for industrial education

LONGMONT — The National Science Foundation has awarded Front Range Community College a nearly $500,000 grant to be used in the creation of a new manufacturing program in Longmont.

The Advanced Technological Education grant comes as the nationwide manufacturing industry is struggling to address a shortage of skilled technicians. In Northern Colorado, advanced-manufacturing companies have specifically noted a critical need for industrial automation and maintenance workers.

Front Range Community College responded to industry requests by creating a new associate degree program that will give students the hands-on training they need to become industrial automation and maintenance technicians. The National Science Foundation grant of $494,777 will fund the design and implementation of this new associate of applied science degree in automation and engineering technology.  FRCC faculty member Ken Floyd is principal investigator on the program, according to information supplied by FRCC.

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The program will be located at FRCC’s new Center for Integrated Manufacturing in Longmont. FRCC has committed $6.2 million to create the facility, which will expand training options for Colorado’s manufacturing industry.

Floyd and the FRCC team have been working with local manufacturing companies in Northern Colorado to develop courses for the new program. The courses will include active learning and skill-building instruction on new high-tech training equipment to provide industry-relevant learning experiences for students.