A Blog from Manufacturing Engineer David Boiano
NVCC Technology Hall
In 2012 I was asked to join the advisory council to help guide the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) at Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC), our local community college. The purpose of the AMTC at NVCC, one of four new centers in Connecticut, being modeled after the highly successful Asnuntuck Community College program, is to provide local manufacturers with qualified trained technicians to meet industry specific needs. The centers needed to be designed, built and filled with students in less than one year.
In early 2013, I took over the role of manufacturing partner co-chair of the advisory council. In the first phase of the implementation we were required to follow the existing model which is based heavily on advanced technologies, whereas a majority of our local manufacturers focus on deep draw metal stampings or what’s more commonly referred to as deep draw eyelets. Prospect Machine Products relies on the vocational high school system for apprentice tool and die makers for our deep draw technology, so we were pleased to participate in this state –wide initiative at the community college level to develop more skilled and semi-skilled talent for our manufacturing workforce.
There were a few reasons I decided to take on the role of co-chair of the AMTC advisory council. The legislation to create the programs is the first of its kind in Connecticut. Not only is it a rare pro-manufacturing initiative, but the required timeline was unheard of in typical legislative initiatives. The existing model is CNC based, whereas we need to drive this program towards deep drawing, grinding, assembly and other more local technologies. Here at Prospect Machine, we have always been active in the manufacturing community and politically active with promoting manufacturing. As my passion is focused more on education than legislation, the creation of a new technology center at the local college level was something I could get behind and champion on many levels.
Our deep draw stamping community is fully engaged with our local community college, Naugatuck Valley Community College and its Advanced Manufacturing Technical Center in developing the career paths leading to manufacturing.
