Education and Training News
Climax Portable Machine Tools Seeks to Show Value of Manufacturing
Geoff Gilmore's company is showing all the signs of positive growth.
The CEO of Climax Portable Machine Tools Inc. can boast of 22 percent annual revenue growth, a growing presence in Europe, and a 14,000-square-foot addition to his manufacturing plant in Newberg to take care of an ever-growing backlog of orders for the company's portable fix-it machines.
Now if he could only find some machinists.
"A building and a bunch of machines don't produce anything," Gilmore said. "We're finding the machinists aren't there."
OIT Portland Project Symposium
The Project Symposium is a night for OIT Portland 2008 Graduates and Juniors to present their projects to Industry Partners, Faculty, Staff and Alumni. Students from Software Engineering Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, and Renewable Energy Systems will present their applied research projects that represent innovative thinking built on fundamental engineering principles. Please join us in honoring these students and connecting with the OIT Portland community. You will be inspired!
June 6, 2008
3:30 - 7:30 pm
OIT Portland West
Apprenticeships: An Old Concept Gains Steam in Current Job Market
One seldom reads “apprenticeships” and “cutting edge” in the same sentence, but the marketplace is reviving the age-old concept. Apprenticeships offer many job seekers a route to higher education, on-the-job instruction and a competitive salary in an unpredictable job market.
Linn-Benton Community College launches program to train next generation of manufacturing workers
Starting fall term of this year, Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) in Albany will offer a program that leads to an associate of applied science degree in mechatronics.
The word “mechatronics” is a combination of “mechanics” and “electronics.” Tetsuro Mori, a senior engineer at Japanese robotics company Yaskawa, created the term in 1969. Mechatronics combines mechanics, electronics, control engineering and computing.
OIT Boosts the Capacity of Machine Shop Education in Klamath Falls
OIT added to their capacity in the Mechanical Engineering Technology program with recently remodeled Machining Facilities on their campus, and is also deploying student and faculty to help the local high schools boost their tech prep programs with two notable student projects.
PNDC to co-host Oregon SBIR Summit 25-27 March 2008
The Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition and the Portland State Business Accelerator are hosting the Oregon SBIR Summit March 25–27. The federal government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and related Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program provide funding to small and start-up companies that have innovative ideas that they want to prove, develop, and ultimately commercialize. The awards are made as grants or contracts: You do not have to repay them, and you do not have to sacrifice equity. You also retain the intellectual property rights to your innovations.
Oregon Institute of Technology Maps Career Pathways to Manufacturing Engineering Technology
PORTLAND AND KLAMATH FALLS, OR – The Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) and nine community colleges are paving the way for Oregon students to meet the needs of Oregon’s manufacturing sector. With the guidance of the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, and the OPAS Initiative of the Engineering and Technology Industry Council (ETIC), OIT has mapped some new terrain.
Mt. Hood Community College steps up to help fill the worker pipeline in food processing
In early 2007, the Oregon Employment Department of WorkSource Portland Metro East, the local Employer Council, and Worksystems, Inc. came together to discuss the shortage of qualified entry level workers in the food processing industry and plan for ways to address the shortage. The team quickly learned the Northwest Food Processors Association was developing an Innovation and Productivity Center and also had an interest in addressing new employee pipeline issues facing the industry.
Colligan appointed associate VP for Strategic Partnerships
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Institute of Technology Acting President David Woodall today announced the appointment of Lita Colligan as Associate Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, based in the Portland Metro region. Colligan was most recently the Workforce Policy Advisor for Governor Ted Kulongoski and was instrumental in advancing the Governor’s workforce agenda, including development of more career pathways for Oregonians.
Lean manufacturing project receives recognition of excellence award from Department of Labor
In July 2007, Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership received a Recognition of Excellence award from the US Department of Labor Education and Training Administration for its performance on the Advanced Manufacturing Training in Lean Manufacturing project. This is the second Honorable Mention Award the project has received since the project's inception in 2004.