Northeast State received a generous grant on Oct. 30 to fund manufacturing education programs from the largest CNC machining manufacturer in the nation.
Bill Walsh of the Haas Factory Outlet, a division of Phillips, presented a check totaling $12,000 on behalf of the Gene Haas Foundation to Northeast State President Dr. Bethany Flora at the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing Academy (RCAM) in Kingsport. The funds will assist dual enrollment students pursuing CNC/machining-based training.
“These scholarships for CTE dual enrollment students make a remarkable difference in our commitment to technical and transfer education,” said President Flora.
The Gene Haas Foundation grants over $10 million dollars annually to manufacturing education programs in North America. The Foundation is very proud of the technical education programs offered by Northeast State and the opportunities the RCAM Academy will provide to dual enrollment students in our region.
The RCAM Academy at Northeast State in Kingsport expands the College’s technical training capabilities and dual enrollment opportunities for high school students around the region. The grant funds scholarships to student currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a CNC Technology or CNC Machining program at Northeast State. Scholarships can be used for tuition, books, a student’s personal National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) account, and the cost of individual NIMS credentials.
The Northeast State Machine Tool program teaches students how to operate manufacturing equipment to include machine lathes, mills, grinders, and CAD/CAM software. The college awards the associate of applied science degree in Machine Tool and a technical certificate in Machine Tool Operations. Machinists and CNC operators use print specifications designed in CAD software to create machine parts for a near endless variety of manufacturing applications.
The Haas grant also makes available up to $2,500 of funds for use to support the college’s SkillsUSA chapter to participate in CNC/Manufacturing competitions. The SkillsUSA chapter earned regional awards and competed at the national SkillsUSA competition earlier this year. SkillsUSA is a national membership association serving students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations.
RCAM and the RCAM Academy represent Northeast State’s dedication to educating a skilled regional workforce. The RCAM Academy provides technical training capabilities and dual enrollment opportunities for high school students around the region. The RCAM Academy features a Machine Tool/CNC laboratory with new machining technology critical for cutting edge instruction.
Founded by Gene Haas in 1999, the Gene Haas Foundation ranks its primary goal as building skills in the machining industry by providing scholarships for CNC machine technology students and NIMS credentials. The Foundation has awarded more than $75 million to more than 8,000 charitable organizations and schools since 1999.
For information about the RCAM Academy or Northeast State’s academic programs visit www.manufacturingfuture.net or www.northeaststate.edu.
For more information about the Gene Haas Foundation or Haas Automation, visit www.ghaasfoundation.org or www.haascnc.com.
Would love to get Tennessee High School students involved!
And we would love to have them! This is the link to our high school programs page.