Newport News Mechatronics Program

Two years ago, Continental North America announced plans to nearly double its workforce at its plant in Newport News, Virginia.* Aiming to invest $152 million dollars over four years to expand and update its facility, Continental is on pace to nearly double its workforce to approximately 1,000 employees.

Currently, the plant produces low-pressure gas injectors and exhaust after-treatment products. After completing newly-developed production lines, it will also include turbocharger production: high-pressure gas injectors, and fuel rail and pump assembly lines.

For Continental, the greatest challenge is not finding new customers for its products, but rather skilled workers capable of making them. The people who work in the company’s plant need to possess very specific skills in order to operate todays’ highly-advanced automation equipment and robotics.

Enter: Mechatronics

Several years ago, ECPI University anticipated this need and created the region’s first mechatronics program in Newport News. Mechatronics blends all of the skills required to work in today’s advanced manufacturing environment—information systems, electronics, and mechanical engineering technology.

Like every program ECPI University develops, it created the mechatronics program with employers’ specific needs in mind. How do we know what they’re looking for? We listen to them. At each ECPI University campus, all programs have an academic advisory board, industry professionals that meet with faculty twice a year to assess curriculum and offer suggestions when modifications are warranted. Market-driven programs help ensure that ECPI University graduates have the skills local employers—like Continental North America—are seeking.

While graduates with a mechatronics degree are highly sought after, most manufacturing facilities require specialists in both electronics and mechanical engineering technology. Here too, we offer programs aligned with workplace demands. Engineering technologists play an important role, serving as a link between engineers and technicians, and are essential to the production process. ECPI University’s electronics engineering technology program can help you learn how to:

  • Analyze and implement systems containing hardware and software components
  • Identify, analyze and solve technical problems
  • Use testing and measuring instruments to acquire data, analyze problems, and design a system or process

Equally important to the production process are the professionals that are skilled in mechanical engineering. ECPI University’s mechanical engineering technology program is designed to provide you with the real-world skills to design and troubleshoot mechanical systems used in the advanced manufacturing process. Curriculum focuses on core areas such as:

  • Material science and manufacturing processing
  • Computer-aided engineering graphics and analysis
  • Electro-mechanical devices and controls

If this sounds like what you’ve been looking for but you’re not looking to spend four years in college, you’re in luck. ECPI University is the leader in accelerated education. Through our year-round program, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in just 2.5 years or an associate’s in just 1.5 years.

All across the nation, manufacturers are looking for people with the skills you can acquire at ECPI University. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us today and we’ll show you how you can go from Zero to Bachelor’s in 2.5 years!

*http://www.dailypress.com/business/dp-nws-continental-growth-0315-20160315-story.html

Learn more about ECPI's College of Technology TODAY!

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Gainful Employment Information – Electronics Engineering Technology - Bachelor’s
Gainful Employment Information – Mechatronics - Bachelor’s
Gainful Employment Information – Mechanical Engineering Technology - Bachelor’s

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.