PADUCAH — The University of Kentucky’s engineering school in Paducah has partnered with West Kentucky Community and Technical College to launch a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering technology.
According to a news release from UK, beginning this summer, students will have the opportunity to earn an associate of applied science through WKCTC and transfer to the UK Engineering Paducah Campus to earn a bachelor of science in computer engineering technology.
The program aims to prepare students to work in a wide range of industries including: aerospace, automotive, consulting, government, health care, manufacturing, industrial equipment design, IT, energy and environmental solutions, and more.
Some of the career paths students will be able to follow include:
- Designing and maintaining databases and digital systems
- Developing and testing networks
- Programming in multiple languages
- Automation engineering, control engineering, maintenance engineering, network support engineering, and more
Students will get in-depth knowledge of hardware and software design, development and maintenance. They’ll learn industry-standard approaches to application software development and state of the art problem solving techniques for developing application code and firmware, including networking and web operations.
The program includes classroom instruction and lab experience so students gain a strong background in cutting-edge development with programming languages currently used in the industry.
“Complementary technologies in data analytics, machine learning, human-machine interaction, intelligent robots, interconnected supply chains and the ability to transmit digital instructions to the physical world — that can run smart, cost-efficient and automated plants – requires a new set of computing skills,” said Nelson Akafuah, the inaugural chair of the Fujio Cho Department of Engineering Technology. “This degree path will uniquely prepare students to become leaders in this advancing industry.”
Rudy Buchheit, the dean of UK Engineering, said, “The computer engineering technology degree program we are offering in partnership with the West Kentucky Community and Technical College is responding to increasing demand – both locally and globally – for talent in the tech industry. It is also important and necessary within manufacturing environments as they become increasingly automated and reliant on digital technologies.”
“The partnership between WKCTC and the University of Kentucky College of Engineering allows students to seamlessly complete an associate and bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology,” said Renea Akin, WKCTC’s vice president of academic affairs. “Ultimately, this collaboration enhances access to higher education and prepares students to meet the evolving need of the tech industry.”
Registration for the 2024 summer and fall semesters is open, with summer classes available from mid-May to early August and fall classes beginning on August 19.
The degree pathways are part of WKCTC’s Work Ready Kentucky scholarship program, which is open to Kentucky residents with a high school diploma or students working on their GED.
Additional financial aid is available at WKCTC for qualifying students. The first step is to complete FAFSA at studentaid.gov. Students with questions can call 270-534-3467 or email wk-financialaid@kctcs.edu.
More information about the Computer Engineering Technology program can be found on WKCTC’s website.
