Oak Ridge Today

Roane State, SL Tennessee starting apprenticeship program

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Tyra Copas, state apprenticeship director, workforce services, talks to local employers and educators about Tennessee’s initiative to boost apprenticeship programs during a question-and-answer session at Roane State Community College’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility. (Submitted photo)

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Roane State Community College is joining the state’s growing movement to better train new workers by sponsoring apprenticeship programs with area businesses and industries. The college is currently working with one of Anderson County’s biggest employers.

“We will be working with SL Tennessee and our Middle College students in mechatronics to develop programs of study and identify specific apprenticeship tasks,” said Kim Harris, the college’s director of workforce training and placement.

“We look forward to working closely with Roane State in starting the apprenticeship program,” said SL Tennessee Director Scott Laska. “We believe that this program will help solve our skills gap in our operation and provide meaningful career opportunities for the community.”

SL Tennessee, located in the Clinton Interstate 75 Industrial Park, manufactures automotive parts and is near Roane State’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility. The college’s classes in mechatronics—the engineering of electrical and mechanical systems—are offered there.

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Business sponsorships sought for robotics competition

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Roane State Community College and Morgan County Career and Technical Center are seeking business sponsors for a VEX Robotics Competition event that will be held January 12-13 at Roane State’s Clinton location.

The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, is the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally with more than 16,000 teams from 40 countries playing in more than 1,350 competitions worldwide.

Roane State’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility will host a state VEX Robotics Qualifier Tournament Competition from January 12-13. Approximately 30 high school and middle school teams are expected to participate, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State, AC Chamber, CNS Y-12 to host Manufacturing Day celebration, Dream It/Do It kickoff

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Area middle school students will learn about creative, high-tech careers in manufacturing as part of a Manufacturing Day celebration on Friday, October 21, at Roane State Community College’s training facility in Clinton.

The college is teaming up with the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and CNS Y-12 to host the event, titled the Dream It/Do It Manufacturing Showcase: Think, Create, Build. The event begins at 9:30 a.m., and it will include tours and equipment demonstrations. The public is invited.

Roane State’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility is located at 214 Nave Street. [Read more…]

Roane State to host events to help displaced ITT Tech students

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Roane State Community College is reaching out to students affected by the recent closure of ITT Technical Institute.

Roane State will host an information session for former ITT students from 3:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, at the college’s Oak Ridge campus, which is at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. The meeting will be in the advising area inside the Coffey-McNally Building.

Former ITT Tech students are also invited to an Open House on Monday, September 26, at the college’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility, which is at 214 Nave Street in Clinton. The event will last from 5-8 p.m. and include demonstrations of equipment used to train students in mechatronics.

Roane State admissions and financial aid staff will be available at the events to answer questions. [Read more…]

Roane State invites public to Manufacturing Day in Clinton on Friday

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Roane State Manufacturing Day Open House Oct. 2, 2015

Roane State Community College will host an open house at its Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility as part of Manufacturing Day on Friday, October  2.

The event will last from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the facility, which is at 214 Nave Street in Clinton. The public is invited to visit the facility and learn more about Roane State courses in mechatronics and injection molding.

Representatives from area manufacturers will be at the facility to discuss job opportunities in manufacturing, and Roane State staff will demonstrate equipment used in its mechatronics and injection molding programs. [Read more…]

Roane State students awarded NASA scholarships; more available for summer, fall

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Jeffrey Burks

Jeffrey Burks

Roane State Community College student Jeffrey Burks earned his GED six months before he started college. He’s on his way to a mechanical engineering degree.

A typical workday for Blake Stewart lasts 15 hours—job in the morning, classes at night.

Corey Stafford works to pay for school. Any help with costs, he said, is a relief.

Burks, Stewart, and Stafford are all receiving extra financial assistance with their college education. They are the first recipients of $1,250 NASA scholarships awarded to Roane State students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields. More NASA scholarships are available for summer semester and for fall semester. Students in STEM majors are encouraged to apply. [Read more…]

Roane State offers healthcare training

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Roane State Community College is offering a variety of healthcare training courses at the Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility.

  • Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT), March 24-May 21, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4 p.m. or 6:30-9:30 p.m.—$550
  • Certified ECG Technician (CET), March 23-May 13, Mondays and Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m. or 6:30-9:30 p.m.—$400

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Grant will allow Roane State to expand mechatronics program

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Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

Roane State Community College will use a nearly $1 million state grant to expand its mechatronics program and to pilot offering the program’s first year as dual credit courses for high school students. The college will partner with schools in Oak Ridge and Anderson County.

The mechatronics program trains students to become technicians who operate, maintain, and repair high-tech automated manufacturing systems. Roane State offers a one-year certificate in mechatronics. Through a $970,000 Labor Education Alignment Program, or LEAP, grant, Roane State will create a two-year associate degree in mechatronics. The program will be launched in fall 2015.

“We are honored to receive a LEAP grant, and we appreciate the hard work of our partners and our legislative delegation on the grant,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “The grant is built on great partnerships between Roane State, industries, local school systems and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology. Working together, we will help students learn the skills they need for high-tech manufacturing careers.” [Read more…]

Anderson County Chamber has industrial job fair on Thursday

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Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Logo

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will host an industrial job fair to recruit employees for local industries on Thursday in Clinton.

The job fair is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, October 16, at Roane State Community College’s Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility at 214 Nave Street in Clinton (at the Anderson County Fairgrounds). This one-day event allows job seekers to connect face-to-face with local industries seeking employees, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State to host workshops on applying for USDA grants

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Farmers, ranchers, and rural small business representatives are invited to upcoming workshops on applying for a federal grant that supports renewable energy projects.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, promotes rural economic development by assisting rural business to become more energy efficient. Grant funds can cover up to 25 percent of eligible projects.

Roane State Community College will host two workshops on applying for the grant. Representatives of Lenoir City-based ARiES Energy will prepare grant applications for those interested. [Read more…]

Learn more about Roane State’s AMTEC job training program Dec. 2, Dec. 10

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Anyone interested in Roane State Community College’s Advanced Materials Training and Education Center, or AMTEC—a no-cost, high-tech job training program for those who are unemployed or underemployed—is invited to upcoming meetings at the college’s Clinton location and at the Oak Ridge campus.

The meeting at the Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility, 214 Nave St, will be held Monday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. The meeting at the Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., will be held Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. in the back room inside Anderson’s Grille.

Please call (865) 481-5436 to reserve your seat. [Read more…]

Roane State’s Mechatronics Showcase on Tuesday highlights high-tech job opportunities

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Anyone interested in learning about Roane State’s one-year mechatronics program is invited to a Mechatronics Showcase from 2-5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility.

Visitors will be able to speak with industry leaders and experts in advanced manufacturing and learn what careers are available. Technology used in advanced manufacturing will be on display, and Roane State staff will answer questions about the college’s mechatronics certificate program.

The program trains students to become technicians who operate, maintain, and repair high-tech automated manufacturing systems. The courses include instruction in electronics, mechanics, computer science, robotics, and process control. Evening classes and financial aid are available. [Read more…]