Festo Didactic and National Fluid Power Association Invest in Workforce Development, Pathway Programs for Milwaukee-Area Schools
Waukesha County High Schools Receive New Mechatronics Lab Equipment
MILWAUKEE, May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Festo Didactic, a leading provider of technical education equipment and training, and the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA), have joined forces to bring more career and technical education pathways to middle school, high school, and technical college students in the Milwaukee area. The Fluid Power and Applied Mechatronics Training and Employment Network (FAMTEN) is a new workforce development model developed by NFPA aimed at forging stronger connections among local technical colleges, industry partners, and high schools.
Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) in Waukesha, Wisconsin was chosen as NFPA's first FAMTEN Hub School in 2018. Several local high schools have also begun implementing new mechatronics lab equipment and curriculum with the help of Festo, NFPA and other industry mentors.
During the past year, Festo Didactic and NFPA have provided six high schools in Waukesha County with state-of-the-art Festo MecLabs®. High school teachers from the schools were trained over the summer on how to teach students about fluid power with the new equipment.
"The Festo MecLab trainers and FluidSIM software are a great way to teach students manufacturing process automation using pneumatics, solenoid valves, and relays," said Kathy Rose, an engineering and chemistry teacher at Hamilton High School in Sussex. "The assignments are easy to use and scaffolds students through the automation process. The FluidSIM software uses click and drag schematic symbols and circuits which expose students to technical drawings. The software also allows students to run the programs virtually to troubleshoot the circuit before testing on the MecLab trainers."
The MecLab is an innovative learning system for schools that helps students gain insights into one of the most significant fields of application for automation technology – production technology. MecLab stations represent simplified models of typical processes to be found in any automated production plant, and they teach students early on how to think critically and trouble-shoot while working with complex automated systems.
"It's inspiring and exciting every time we get to deliver a MecLab to a classroom," said Thomas Lichtenberger, President and CEO of Festo Didactic North America. "Partnering with NFPA through the FAMTEN career pathway model has allowed us to reach more schools, and more deserving students, who now can benefit from learning on innovative industrial systems starting at a younger age."
"FAMTEN would not be successful without industry mentors getting students interested, helping them learn the basics, and eventually recruiting them when they graduate," said Lynn Beyer, Director of Workforce Development Programs at NFPA. "We recommend Festo Didactic to educators based on the company's long-standing history and reputation for producing high-quality industrial equipment, learning systems, and curriculum. We look forward to continuing our community outreach and workforce development efforts with Festo in the year ahead."
The pathway program model will expand to Triton College in River Grove, Illinois in 2019. For more information on how to work with NFPA and Festo Didactic to build pathway programs, please contact Lynn Beyer: lbeyer(at)nfpa(dot)com 414- 778-3364; or Corinne Haley: corinne.haley(at)festo(dot)com 848-777-2009.
About Festo Didactic
Festo Didactic is a leading provider of technical education equipment and training. Festo's educational solutions evolved from its world-class automation and engineering division and integrates the latest trends in each learning system it offers. The innovative product range allows educators and trainers to equip their classroom with the technology they need, from individual workstations to complete Learning Factories, as well as training and consulting, eLearning, courseware solutions, and LMS integration. http://www.festo-didactic.com
About National Fluid Power Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a trade association focused on strengthening the hydraulics and pneumatics industry. With more than 340 fluid power manufacturers, distributors and suppliers in its membership, NFPA works to advance fluid power education, technology and the industry as a whole. http://www.nfpa.com
SOURCE Festo Didactic
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