Area residents interested in developing skills to meet the demands of today’s manufacturing industries are invited to attend one of four informational sessions that will be hosted by Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) in coming weeks.
The sessions will take place at locations throughout southern Missouri, organizers said. They will provide those attending the opportunity to learn about hands-on technical training in:
- advanced fabrication and welding
- advanced industrial maintenance
- manufacturing management and technology
Today’s industrial environment is dependent on technology-focused and technology-enabled manufacturing, said Sheila Barton, director of workforce development at MSU-WP. The associate degree and certificate programs offered by MSU-WP are designed to give students the skills they need to meet these requirements.
“As a National Coalition of Certification Center (NC3), our programs include certifications in welding processes, blueprint reading, safety, electricity, controls and sensors, hydraulics and pneumatics, mechanical systems and PLCs,” she said.
Where will the sessions be held?
All sessions are set for 5 to 7 p.m. Dates and locations include:
- July 13, MSU-WP Mountain Grove/Shannon Hall campus, 401 E. 17th St., Mountain Grove
- July 20, Twin Pines Conservation Center, U.S. 60 highway (1.3 miles east of U.S. 60/Highway 19 junction), Winona
- July 27, Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology (GOCAT), 395 Jackie D. Garrett Dr., West Plains
- Aug. 3, Houston Lions Club, 1719 N. Sam Houston Blvd., Houston
No appointment is necessary; those interested can drop in any time during the sessions.
Roy Crouch, education and employment specialist, will provide an overview of the programs and discuss how to begin a career in manufacturing, Barton said.
For more information about the sessions or MSU-WP’s technology programs, contact Barton at 417-255-7784 or SheilaFBarton@MissouriState.edu, or visit WP.MissouriState.edu/Workforce.
For more information about admission and enrollment procedures, contact the MSU-WP admissions office at 417-255-7955 or WPAdmissions@MissouriState.edu, or visit WP.MissouriState.edu.