NICC Hosting Sept. 10 Open House for New Advanced Technology Center

Act now—your donation to local news ensures a brighter, more informed tomorrow. PEOSTA, Iowa — Northeast Iowa Community College will host an open house Sept. 10 to celebrate the completion of its new Advanced Technology Center, a facility designed to prepare Iowans for careers in advanced manufacturing and the Industry 4.0 workforce. The event will take place from 4–6 p.m. at the Peosta campus. The center is located just inside the entrance of the Industrial Technologies building and was completed in time for the fall semester. Built with Industry 4.0 principles in mind, the new lab space focuses on education, innovation and flexibility. NICC leaders expect the center to boost enrollment by offering multiple program start times and training options that work with students' schedules. The space will accommodate students in both credit programs, such as advanced manufacturing, and noncredit programs, such as business and industry training. "This new lab space on campus embraces key features of Industry 4.0, including smart manufacturing, data-driven decision-making, automation and robotics, customization and flexibility," said Greg Moklestad, NICC dean of advanced manufacturing, industrial technology and computer science. "By employing a competency-based education model, the lab will allow the college to offer multiple training times to meet the needs of our students and local industry." Industry 4.0—often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution—integrates advanced technologies into manufacturing processes to create smarter, more efficient and interconnected systems. Students in programs such as Industrial Maintenance, Industrial Automation and Mechatronics, Computer Numerical Control Machinist Technician and Engineering Technology will all use the center. Don Martone III, a maintenance supervisor at A.Y. McDonald enrolled in the noncredit Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program, said he values the hands-on opportunities. "I like the open classroom at NICC and the work-at-your-own-pace environment with the workstation equipment available for hands-on learning," Martone said. "It's pretty awesome." Rick Dryer, senior supervisor at A.Y. McDonald, agreed. "I like the new lab. NICC did a very professional job and installed a lot of equipment there to make access convenient," he said. NICC officials said the facility will help prepare graduates to meet growing regional workforce demands for skilled professionals in advanced manufacturing. More information about advanced manufacturing programs at NICC is available at nicc.edu/advancedmanufacturing. Unlock a world of knowledge! Sign up for free DecorahNews.com newsletters and receive local news, local events and everything that is happening in and around Decorah.