The University of Southern Indiana cut the ribbon last week on its new state-of-the-art $3.3 million Applied Engineering Center and students began using the start of the fall semester. The Applied Engineering Center, featuring equipment not found elsewhere in North America, is a learning factory for students in USI’s Engineering and Industrial Supervision programs as well as a valuable tool to help support the regional business community.

The 16,226-square foot facility, designed with input from USI’s Industrial Advisory Board, representing a cross section of major manufacturers in Southwest Indiana, incorporates key features such as a 9,000-square foot open high bay with a 10-ton bridge crane and wide utility trenches that allow for increased configuration flexibility.

“Through the Division of Outreach and Engagement, the Applied Engineering Center can be a resource as well as a catalyst for economic development in Southwest Indiana and the Tri-state region,” said Daniela Vidal, director of USI’s Center for Applied Research and Economic Development and former instructor/coordinator of advanced manufacturing and industrial supervision.

With more than $3 million in high-tech manufacturing and engineering equipment, the center has unique features setting it apart from other facilities in the United States and North America. Equipment totaling $2.6 million was funded through three federal grants, while an additional $400,000 came from University matching funds.

One of the center’s showpieces is the MPS Transfer Factory Manufacturing System built by German company Festo, a leading world-wide supplier of automation technology and the performance leader in industrial training and education programs. Located in the center’s automation lab, it features a complete assembly line that can be reconfigured in different layouts to meet a variety of manufacturing needs. “This is the only equipment of its kind outside of Germany,” said Vidal. “The other is located at Osnabruck Technical College, located in Evansville’s sister city in Germany.” Vidal learned about the concept during a visit to Germany in 2010 and worked with Festo to have the equipment custom built for the USI facility.

Other areas of the center include material processing and fabrication, machining, plastics technology, circuit fabrication lab, automation lab, and a precision measuring lab/CAD lab. Key features include the latest technology in additive manufacturing, Wire EDM, a 5-Axis Waterjet, a welding robot, and a coordinate measuring machine.

The Applied Engineering Center will be used to teach students everything from the basics of manufacturing and equipment integration to more advanced industrial engineering concepts and production control. “That’s what makes this facility so special,” said Vidal. “The capabilities are unique to the United States.”

Added Vidal, “The new facility offers opportunity to partner with local industries that want to experiment with designing different production cells. “The goal is to use local industry to present problems that students can solve, but also use the building and its capabilities to offer training and certificate programs for employees of local companies.”

USI has already hosted visits from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane (NSWC Crane), Berry Plastics Group, Kimball International and Flanders – a privately-owned manufacturer of motors, power systems, and automation solutions – to look at ways to collaborate.

In addition, the University has hosted a number of corporate site selectors and economic developers at the facility. “Technical talent is critical to Southwest Indiana’s large advanced manufacturing sector along with the rest of the nation,” said Greg Wathen, President & CEO, Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana. “USI’s Applied Engineering Center will provide the platform for students to learn how to work on real world projects by real employers and begin to minimize the skills gap.”

In 2012, USI matched curriculum with capabilities through a comprehensive review and update conducted for its Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Supervision program. With the added capabilities now available through the Applied Engineering Center, it will be possible to significantly enhance the curriculum and open the door to new offerings in the future.

“We placed more emphasis on automated equipment, lean manufacturing business management strategy, and other modern manufacturing philosophies,” said Vidal. “According to an ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) representative that reviewed our Engineering Program, there’s not another program in Indiana that teaches students in such a practical and hands-on way. It gives students an understanding of the challenges they’ll face, as well as contact with industrial partners that can later translate into employment.”

Catch the latest edition of the “Indiana State Police Road Show” radio program every Monday morning at your convenience.

Download the program from the Network Indiana public website at www.networkindiana.com. Look for the state police logo on the main page and follow the download instructions. This 15 minute talk show concentrates on public safety and informational topics with state wide interest.

The radio program was titled “Signal-10” in the early sixties when it was first started by two troopers in northern Indiana. The name was later changed to the “Indiana State Police Road Show” and is the longest continuously aired state police public service program in Indiana.

Radio stations across Indiana and the nation are invited to download and air for FREE this public service program sponsored by the Indiana State Police Alliance and Cops for Kids, a subsidiary of the Indiana State Police Alliance.

This week’s show features Trooper Katie Salzman. Trooper Salzman discusses her role in the newly formed ISP Recruiting Section and what the recruiting section will be doing to attract qualified personnel to a career with the Indiana State Police.

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Last week, I talked about the rising cost of education, and the value and investment students make when they choose to further their academic career. Educated and skilled workers are a valuable resource to any workforce and are being sought aggressively by employers There are many factors to weigh when it comes to postsecondary education,  but additional training and degree attainment are great avenues for students and graduates to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

Here in southern Indiana, more job opportunities are becoming available as employers are hiring and expanding their businesses. Some of our major employers – Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Deaconess Health System and Berry Plastics Corporation – have positions available.  Outside of these companies, there are positions available in other industries like transportation/logistics, manufacturing and health care. All of these companies are seeking individuals with advanced skills, education, and necessary training to fill their workforce.

In our community’s health care field, registered nurses are in high demand and have a high earning potential. There are currently 61,052 registered nurses in the state of Indiana, and more are needed.  As many people know, nurses administer care to ill or injured patients, but they may also advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management.

Positions such as home health aides and personal home care aides are just some of the career paths that are expected to grow through 2018. One of the most sought after positions in our area is an automotive service technician or mechanic.  There were over 300 job postings for this position from 2011 to 2012. Certifications for these positions are available through Ivy Tech.

The lifetime benefit of a postsecondary degree is significant. Over a lifetime, a full-time, full-year worker with a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn 84 percent more than someone who has only a high school diploma or GED.  If you invest in your education through an associate’s degree, you will also earn more over a lifetime. These investments will help create a better life for not only you, but your family as well.

Indiana is currently addressing the opportunity gap in which companies are seeking educated employees. It is important to take the next step in one’s academic career even if it has been a few years since graduation. Our region has a lot to offer as there are careers available with high earning potential that are going unfilled. Getting a college education isn’t easy, but it can go a long way towards having a more successful career with more opportunities in the future.