HOPE/TEXARKANA, Ark. -- The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana has added new degrees in Electromechanical Technology to its technical and industrial program offerings.
The Technical Certificate and Associate of Applied Science in Electromechanical Technology will combine the coursework of multicraft maintenance and machining with industrial electricity to create a program that teaches students a wide variety of employable technical skills.
"We have a technical certificate in industrial electricity, and we have a technical certificate in industrial maintenance. And what our dean discovered was that a lot of our industries really want our students to have both of those skill sets," Vice Chancellor for Academics Laura Clark said.
Clark said combining the programs will allow UAHT graduates to have both sets of skills upon graduation and a highly employable degree.
"When you think about Tyson, Georgia-Pacific and those kinds of industries around here, they really need someone with both skill sets," she said.
Clark said employers such as Tyson, Georgia-Pacific and Xylem have these positions open with salary ranges from $50,000-$79,000.
The combination of the industrial maintenance and industrial electricity program will not result in any new courses, but will create more flexibility on how students can prepare for the workforce, Clark says.
"What's wonderful about it is in their first year, students will actually be able to get their certificate in basic electricity and a certificate in industrial maintenance," she said. "But as they continue, it'll be for that electromechanical degree. So, they can get small certificates along the way. They get the best of both worlds."
The program has been fully approved and UAHT will start offering the new reconfigured degree this fall. Registration is going on now, and Clark said certain high demand classes can fill up fast.
Courses in the program include:
• Basic Electricity
• Residential Wiring
• National Electric Code
• Industrial Motors and Controls
• Blueprint Reading
• Mechanical Devices and Systems
• Programmable Control Logics
• Industrial and Commercial Wiring
• Introduction to Machining
• Hydraulics/Pneumatics
• Basic Lathe Operations
• Basic Knee Mill Operations
• Welding
(To register for classes, contact the Purtle Advising Center at 870-722-8124 or email [email protected])