If you grew up in the late 1900s, you may be familiar with a popular cartoon called The Jetsons. This futuristic Saturday morning staple promised flying cars, robot butlers, and whole host of amazing technologies that would help people live a life of leisure.
Of course, a quarter of the way through the twenty-first century now, reality still doesn’t resemble an episode of The Jetsons. However, we may be getting closer. Robots have certainly made their presence known, especially in the industrial workplace.
Likewise, a wide variety of advanced automation technologies are changing how we live and work. Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be infiltrating every aspect of our lives. Throw in self-driving electric vehicles and drone delivery of packages and one starts to wonder how far away flying cars might be.
These technologies have been widely embraced by industry throughout the United States. This has led to a fundamental change in the way “factory jobs” are viewed. No longer “low skill” jobs available to anyone, today’s modern industrial workers must possess more advanced skills than ever before to thrive in the modern “smart factory” environment.
For example, many boring, repetitive tasks performed on an assembly line are now performed by specialized robots. Instead, the humans that work alongside those robots must now be able to do things like troubleshooting robot vacuum grippers that aren’t working properly.
While today’s industrial employers rightfully focus on the advanced skills that workers need to thrive, it’s important to remember that those advanced skills they seek must rest upon a solid foundation of basic technical skills in a variety of areas.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal by Te-Ping Chen, “[s]chool districts around the U.S. are spending tens of millions of dollars to expand and revamp high-school shop classes for the 21st century. They are betting on the future of manual skills overlooked in the digital age, offering vocational-education classes that school officials say give students a broader view of career prospects with or without college.”
In this article, we’ll look at four sets of foundational skills workers must possess before they can acquire more advanced automation skills: AC/DC electrical, hydraulics, pneumatics, and mechanical. We’ll also introduce Amatrol’s IGNITE: Mastering Manufacturing program and explain how students can earn industry-standard certifications that will validate their skills with industrial employers. Finally, we’ll showcase the elements of Amatrol’s approach to technical education that has made it the world leader for more than four decades.
AC/DC Electrical
If you’re looking for a place to start your technical education path, there’s no topic more foundational than basic electrical. Every aspect of modern industry is powered by electricity. Understanding how it works—and how to work around it safely—are essential skills for every industrial worker.
Amatrol has developed the most comprehensive, in-depth selection of online electrical training solutions available today, beginning with the basics of AC/DC electrical and moving on to more advanced topics like electrical machines, relay control, and fabrication; electrical motor control; and electrical wiring and power distribution.
For example, Amatrol’s Portable AC/DC Electrical Learning System (990-ACDC1) teaches the fundamentals of AC and DC electrical systems used for power and control in industrial, commercial, agricultural, and residential applications. The 990-ACDC1 offers industry-relevant skills, including how to operate, install, design, and troubleshoot basic AC and DC electrical circuits for various applications, in a convenient portable trainer that can be used in any setting.
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
Pneumatics and hydraulics have powered machines in innumerable applications across manufacturing, industry, agriculture, power generation, and many more for decades. These power sources are utilized all over the world in countless fields, so a strong theoretical understanding combined with hands-on training in pneumatic and hydraulic applications is indispensable for nearly any industry.
Amatrol’s line of fluid power training solutions, which consist of pneumatic and hydraulic systems, are second-to-none in depth of knowledge and skills and the breadth of different applications offered. For example, Amatrol’s Portable Basic Hydraulics Training System (990-BH1) allows learners to gain skills by studying topics like basic hydraulic circuits, pressure control circuits, hydraulic schematics, and sequence valves.
Likewise, Amatrol’s Portable Pneumatics Learning System (990-PN1) teaches basic and intermediate pneumatic concepts, giving learners critical hands-on experience operating pneumatic cylinders, flow controls, directional control valves, air motors, and pressure gauges.
Mechanical
Mechanical skills involve familiarity with machines that are absolute bedrock fundamentals of industry and advanced manufacturing, such as mechanical drives and pumps. Relevant mechanical skills also involve topics like mechanical fabrication, rigging, and central lubrication.
Applications of mechanical systems are used in agricultural, pharmaceutical, automotive, and power generation industries, just to name a few. Anyone wanting to work in modern industry needs a solid basis in mechanical knowledge and hands-on skills.
For example, Amatrol’s Mechanical Drives 1 Learning System (970-ME1) covers mechanical drive installation, mechanical drive operation, motor drive alignment, and applications of various motor drive systems. Learners using the 970-ME1 will gain theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills for shaft, belt, gear, and chain drives using real-world motor drive components.
One Program to Train Them All
While it’s possible to build your own custom training program using Amatrol’s electrical, fluid power, and mechanical trainers, many educational institutions are opting for a more comprehensive approach that starts with these basics and then moves students on to more advanced automation technologies.
Whether you’re starting from zero or looking to build upon a variety of pieces already in place, Amatrol can help you craft a custom CTE program based upon its groundbreaking IGNITE: Mastering Manufacturing program.
With more than 40 years of experience designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art training systems, Amatrol remains the world’s leader in skills-based, interactive technical learning for industry and education. IGNITE is a foundational skill development program designed to stimulate student interest in today’s Advanced Manufacturing/Industry 4.0 careers.
Amatrol developed IGNITE: Mastering Manufacturing to be a comprehensive advanced manufacturing training program that both provides career exploration opportunities and equips high school students with the in-depth knowledge and hands-on skills they need to be successful in the highly-skilled, high-pay jobs available in advanced manufacturing.
IGNITE was developed in conjunction with LIFT – Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow, including significant contributions from America Makes, MxD – The Digital Manufacturing Institute, The Ohio State University, ASM Materials Education Foundation, and The PAST Foundation.
The IGNITE program exposes students to the many different facets of modern advanced manufacturing. Instructors can also guide the experience to spark student interest in specific subject matter areas.
In addition to hands-on technical skills in a wide variety of disciplines found throughout manufacturing, the IGNITE program also teaches students the valuable, uniquely-human “soft skills” (also commonly called “common employability skills” or “CES”), such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking, that are critical to future career success.
Certifications Prove Students Possess the Hands-On Skills Industry Needs
Training students with the knowledge and hands-on skills they need to succeed in modern industry is critical to bridge the skills gap that exists today. Industrial employers need way more skilled workers than educational institutions are currently producing.
Amatrol’s IGNITE program hopes to change that. Not only does it equip students with the knowledge and skills they need, it also helps them prepare to enter the workforce by enabling them to obtain industry-standard certifications that prove to employers that they have the in-demand skills industry seeks.
Importantly, IGNITE prepares students to earn industry-standard certifications that can jump-start their advanced manufacturing careers. For example, IGNITE students can choose to pursue certifications like the MSSC Certified Production Technician Plus Skill Boss certification or advanced Industry 4.0 certifications from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA).
No Need to Reinvent the Wheel
If all this seems a bit overwhelming, don’t worry. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to set up an effective training program that addresses the specific needs of your organization.
For more than 40 years, Amatrol has been designing training programs featuring eLearning curriculum and hands-on experience with trainers equipped with industrial components workers will encounter on the job.
Amatrol’s training programs include cutting-edge technologies in a wide variety of areas, including foundational topics like electrical, fluid power, and mechanical, as well as more advanced topics such as electronics, automation, HVACR, and process control.
Amatrol’s unique approach to technical education provides turnkey solutions for any organization. Key features of Amatrol’s approach include:
- eAssessment: Knowing which skills someone lacks is half the battle when determining exactly what training is necessary. Amatrol’s eAssessment allows organizations to identify current skills, enabling them to assign self-paced eLearning modules based on specific needs.
- eLearning: Amatrol’s eLearning courses provide focused learning objectives and problem-solving activities that correlate directly with core competencies — all at a fraction of the price of traditional technical training methods. With 24/7 online access, technical training can happen anytime, anywhere with an Internet connection.
- Hands-On Workstations: To solidify the knowledge users acquire via eLearning modules, Amatrol offers hands-on workstations that teach relevant skills using real industrial equipment users will encounter in the workplace. Available in full-size or portable options, our expertly crafted trainers integrate the best practices in education and training to deliver knowledge and skills for real jobs.
Visit Amatrol online to learn more about its many different types of industrial training programs. For more information about how Amatrol can help you inspire and train the next generation of workers, contact an expert at Amatrol today!
About Duane Bolin
Duane Bolin is a former curriculum developer and education specialist. He is currently a Marketing Content Developer in the technical training solutions market.
