Industrial Automation Technology, A.A.S.

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Manufacturing has always been the foundation of America’s economic growth and success. However, manufacturing today is very different from yesterday’s plants. Gone are the “dark, dirty, dangerous, and dumb” jobs that were found in yesterday’s workplaces. Today’s industries are clean, safe, well lit, and highly technological. Replaced by robotics, labor-intensive assembly lines are obsolete. Processes are controlled by intelligent systems, such as programmable logic controllers, with remote control and diagnostics.

Industrial Automation is the incorporation of new technologies and advanced manufacturing processes into today’s workplace. The evolution of automated manufacturing and the integration of new technologies with other standard technologies are the two trends that have forced a new training approach to the industrial workforce. This new strategy requires a different view of training industry’s current workforce needs. Past needs required highly specialized technicians in very specific areas. Today’s requirements are for technicians trained in many different areas. The combination of electrical, electronic, fluid power, and mechanical devices has blurred the traditional electronic and mechanical lines. As a result, industry is demanding qualified multi-skilled technicians.

Some examples of employment industries are Food and Bottling, Manufacturing, Automotive, Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Petroleum, and many more process-driven industries.

Advisory Committee
Les Casler, DPT Laboratories Ltd.
Bradley Hunt, WHY Group LLC
Jim Luther, H-E-B Facility Services
Hugo Rodriguez, Pioneer Flour Mills
Bill Sherrill, Advance Technologies Consultants
Bill Sturgis, Roosevelt High School
John Swift, SMI Steel Mill
Johnny B. Wallace, Southwest Research Institute

Related Degrees and Certificates

Industrial Automation Helper Level I Certificate 

Industrial Automation Associate Level I Certificate 

Industrial Automation Technology: Career Foundations Level I Certificate 

Industrial Automation Assistant Level II Certificate