Kirtland Community College launching two new forest products programs
Kirtland Community College will launch two new programs this fall specifically designed to meet the needs of the growing, high-demand forest products manufacturers who heavily employee people throughout northern Michigan and the entire state as a whole.
Beginning in the Fall 2019 semester, Kirtland will offer both an Automation Process Control (APC) program and a Wood Science Technology (WST) program. The APC certificate of completion program features fast-paced training, which will be completed in nine months. The WST program also prepares students with a certificate of completion in the same, short training window.
Jobs in the emerging APC industry involve industrial automation, robotics and instrumentation to control processes. With this certificate, future employees will have certified skills to work in complex manufacturing plants. The jobs available in automation process control are abundant, and employers are saying graduates of both programs will find their names at the top of the list of prospective employees ready for immediate hire.
With WST certification, students will learn the manufacturing processes, including CNC, how to work with precision machines, the dynamics of wood, and processes to assemble components. They will be prepared to spot problems and fix issues with equipment in automated processes, learn CAD/CAM machine programming, the fundamentals of furniture manufacturing, how to interpret engineering drawings, the dynamics of wood adhesives application, moulder, shaper and grinding technology, CNC router technology, hardwood grading and merchandising.
“Michigan is a leader in the production of forest products from logging to pressboard and specialized lumber manufacturing, window fashionings and the creation of a wide array of furniture,” said Kirtland president Dr. Tom Quinn. “This is not surprising when we consider the vast amount of timber in our state. The forest products industry is the largest industry in the state in terms of dollars of business and the number of people it employs. In Grayling, MI there are 14 major forest products industries alone.
“These short-term programs are designed to provide graduates with the skills needed to land in-demand jobs with high growth potential. Students will be prepared for important jobs that are challenging and include a lot of variety in the work setting. We’re excited to bring these opportunities to the local workforce and partner with the local forest product industry leaders to fill their employment needs,” said Quinn.
Learn more about these programs by visiting the college website at https://www.kirtland.edu/programs-we-offer/automation-process-control-degrees or https://www.kirtland.edu/programs-we-offer/wood-science-technology-degrees. You can also contact Admissions at 989-275-5000 ext. 280.
