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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Precision Machining


A Jan. 4 article in the Democrat and Chronicle highlights one of our programs with Eastridge High School in Irondequoit to gear up students for the high-tech world of precision machining.

Eastridge schools students in precision
Erica Bryant, staff writer

(January 4, 2008)— IRONDEQUOIT — Many companies struggle to find people with the math and computer skills needed to program and operate today's high-tech manufacturing machinery.

"While we've had a decrease in many jobs in manufacturing, that's not true for the skilled portion," said Stephen Mandes, the executive director of the National Institute for Metalworking Skills. "There's not a community where we don't have a shortage of critical skills in precision manufacturing."

Eastridge High School is trying to fill that demand.

About 10 juniors and seniors have just wrapped up coursework in Mathematics for Machine Technology, the first course in the school's new precision machining program. They studied geometry, trigonometry and other math that will allow them to read prints and program machines to manufacture a variety of parts and products.

The program is linked to the Precision Machining and Tooling program at Monroe Community College's Applied Technology Center. Students in their senior year can get college credit for some classes, enabling them to finish high school and start college at the same time. Students who continue in Eastridge's program this January will start the course Print Reading I.

The precision machining courses meet three days out of Eastridge's four day cycle. Though Eastridge doesn't have any machining equipment, MCC has brought some to the school for demonstrations so the students can see how they could apply their skills in the future.

"We're trying to tie into that need for skilled labor," said Steven Archambeau, the curriculum leader for the technology education department at Eastridge. "They have five jobs for every student in precision machining."

Mandes says that the average age of a person with precision machining skills is 55. The industry will need to replace about half of its workforce by 2020.

Senior Josh Hillyard says he jumped at the opportunity to enter the program and has enjoyed the coursework so far. "It's a chance to go into a field where I thought there would actually be jobs available," he said.

Dianne E McConkey
College and Community Relations
01/07/2008