Students enrolled in the new engineering program at the Delaware Area Career Center said Friday that they love the class.
Engineering instructor Adam Paisie said this is the first year for the program and said it was was created because of industry need.
Paisie said that while this is the first year the program it will eventually be a three-year-half-day course that will teach students engineering designs and principles, DC and AC electronic circuits, robotics, computer integrated manufacturing and manufacturing operations. He noted students who complete the three-year course will leave with a number of professional certification, giving them an advantage when they look for a job after high school.
He said students will learn to use robotic equipment used in modern assembly lines like those used at the Honda factory in Marysville.
“These companies have approached colleges because their workforce is getting ready to retire and they need a new generation,” Paisie said.
Paisie said the DACC was awarded half a million dollars from a grant and used it to purchase professional equipment like 3D printers, laser cutters and robotics.
“When they finish here they will be well-rounded in electrical and mechanical engineering,” Paisie said. Paisie added that he is teaching students “apples to apples” what they will learn in college and said students can earn college credits in the course.
The student response has been positive so far, Paisie said.
“I enrolled because I wanted to get out of the house and try something new,” said Keegan Gleason, a home-schooled sophomore. “I like messing around with robots. It’s really fun, I love it.
Another student, Delaware Hayes High School sophomore Leigha Eseman said she joined having no prior engineering experience.
“I thought it would be interesting,” Eseman said. “I had never tried it and was trying to broaden my horizon.”
Paisie said he’s been impressed with the student’s progress so far and said student will usually finish their work ahead of schedule.
“I like to give them time to work on (side-projects,)” Paisie said. “They will really dig in on their own.”
The students are working out of two labs at the career center’s south campus until the consolidated campus is completed and the labs will be unified in one space.
“Everything’s so interesting,” said Jordan Keobel, a sophomore at Big Walnut. “It makes every day exciting and beats a normal day of school. It’s kind of the future so it feels like working on the future.”
