Applications for new cohort at the Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing Center due March 16

Tavion Brown of Kinston High School is using a volt meter to measure the voltage on a resister/capacitor circuit. This is of the labs the students complete in the Circuit Analysis class in Computer Engineering. Submitted photo.

According to Monster.com there were almost 7,500 manufacturing jobs open in North Carolina this week. Ziprecruiter.com reports that the average salary for advanced manufacturing jobs in North Carolina is $58,000. Lenoir Community College’s new Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing Center at the NC Global TransPark is preparing local students to enter those jobs. 

Juan Venegas is using measuring tools to inspect a CAD drawing for accuracy. Submitted photo.

In the fall of 2019, local high school juniors and seniors from Kinston High School, North Lenoir, South Lenoir, and Bethel Christian Academy were selected to be part of LCC’s first cohort of high school students joining advanced manufacturing-related classes on LCC’s campus during third and fourth period. The students are earning high school credits and college credits in one of four programs: Computer-Integrated Machining, Industrial Systems, Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. 

The students who complete at least nine credits in the program and graduate high school with a 3.0 GPA will be able to complete the entire associate degree, some in as little as one year after high school, tuition-free through the Lancer Guarantee scholarship. 

Applications for the second cohort, starting fall 2020 are now open at https://www.lenoircc.edu/aamc/. The first round of applications are due March 16 to Dr. Maggie Brown, Dean of Industrial Technologies.

“Current high school sophomores will get the biggest benefit from the program by starting their junior year. Students will complete their first professional certificate within the first one or two semesters,” Brown said. “Students also earn third-party credentials and start building up impressive resumes. Many of these students will be ready for well-paying jobs right out of high school. Others will advance their opportunities through the AAS degree or transfer to several four-year universities and have only two years left to earn a bachelor’s degree.”

The students have been challenged and are enjoying the benefits of being on the College campus for their courses. “The project I had most fun on working on was building a vessel to hold the most amount of weight without sinking,” said Juan Venegas, of North Lenoir High School. “It taught me to create and think as if I was in an industry. AAMC is giving me a head start in a career that not many people have the opportunity to get, which can lead to many more opportunities.” 

Tavon Tice of Kinston High School especially enjoyed the industry exposure. “The industry that visited us was Additive America. Mr. Zac Holcomb came and told us about his business and the different ways they were using 3D printed materials to shape different parts of the world.,” he said. “And that was very interesting to me because you can make a difference even from a computer.”

Tavon Tice of Kinston High School is creating a 2D geometric design that allows him to use many of AutoCAD. Submitted photo.

The faculty have also observed how the experience has impacted their students. “I think that having high school students integrated into the traditional college class has opened the eyes of CCP students not only by allowing them to utilize equipment and opportunities that may have not been previously available to them, but it shows that they are just as capable of succeeding as a traditional college student,” said Matthew Berg, Mechanical Engineering Program Chair.

Berg said how supportive industry partners are of the program. “My advisory committee is extremely supportive of the AAMC initiative. Most of them are currently in manufacturing and see the need for people to fill these jobs that are hands on that most students are shying away from due to misconceptions of trade jobs,” he said. “These students are getting a top tier education for free and are graduating making great salaries in an emerging technology where the sky is the limit on their potential.”

The grand opening of the Lenoir Community College Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing facility is planned in the fall 2020 and it is the perfect time for students to begin their future with the most high-tech educational experience Lenoir County has to offer.