Robotics & manufacturing program aims to create pathway for students
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Officials in Carroll County say new robotics and manufacturing classes at Delphi Community High School could create a talent pipeline for manufacturing companies in the area and bring further investment in the community. The Delphi Community School Corp. recently received a donation of Yaskawa manufacturing robots from Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. in Lafayette, and the district is using a $100,000 grant to purchase additional equipment. Superintendent Ann-Marie Circle says the program will give students a pathway to careers after graduation.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Circle said the classes fill a gap in the region.
“One of the big things as I started talking to a lot of the industries around us, I found one of the biggest needs in our area is manufacturing,” said Circle. “None of the other schools around us offer manufacturing, so I felt this was a niche that we needed to fill for our students.”
Circle says discussions regarding the program began six years ago, when she was principal for the high school. But the timing now was perfect to begin the effort, which it did in August.
Through the program, students will be able to use several Mitsubishi trainers to help them gain programming skills needed in today’s advanced manufacturing environment. They will also work on electrical, hydraulics, and pneumatics learning skill trainers.
Circle says the classes will help students gain certifications, experience and, ultimately, internships.
“That’s what we’re looking at is our students being able to go forward and have the opportunities to get hands-on experience with manufacturing equipment and software…and then ending with an internship where they go out and actually work in some of our local industries. So hopefully, they walk out and they’re ready to be employed right after graduation day. That’s our goal.”
The program was established in partnership with Indiana Trails Career Co-op. Director James Stradling says the classes will benefit more than just Delphi students.
“While Delphi will be the host school for the program, if there are seats available, other schools in the coop may start sending students to Delphi for the program,” Stradling said in written remarks. “What a great way to offer the training and technical skills needed for a variety of employers in and around Carroll County.”
Once fully established, the Carroll County Economic Development Corp. says the program will offer a variety of training opportunities such as coding, computer diagnostics, programming, and maintenance troubleshooting, as well as future curriculum implementation in Megatronics and micro-electronics.
EDC Executive Director Jake Adams echoed Circle’s sentiments about the timing of the program.
“We commute several thousand folks every morning out, a large portion of those being in the manufacturing occupation,” he said. “So, this really hits in the K-12 space that is going to allow us to grow that pipeline.”
Adams says the recent manufacturing announcements from Stellantis and Samsung, Minnesota-based SkyWater Technology (Nasdaq: SKYT) and Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) all feed into the need for more K-12 pathways to employment.
“We’re hopeful that this is just matriculating future investment in the community,” said Adams. “The schools have been really great about finding a way to mix talent with the pipeline of the employers that are committing to the region. This is helping with the upstream and downstream of the supply chain so begin to attract the SkyWater suppliers; we can attract Samsung suppliers. This is all part of a greater plan to make sure that we can be the hub for those employers, and they can be successful with their supply chain being right next to them.”
Additional funding for the program is being provided by the Carroll County Community Foundation and the Carroll County Redevelopment Commission.