“At the Missouri Department of Education, we are especially excited about expanding instructional opportunities in the area of agricultural mechanics. This reimagined facility will be beneficial in the preparation of agricultural education instructors and provide expanded professional development opportunities for current agricultural educators. There were more than 25,626 FFA members from 353 FFA chapters in Missouri during the 2021-2022 school year. If we could interest even a fraction of those members in pursuing careers related to systems management, we could better do our part to address the ever-increasing employment needs in the agricultural mechanics sector in our region.”
Keith Dietzchold
Missouri Agricultural Education Director
In northwest Missouri, the lack of skilled workers in the manufacturing field is compounded by significantly limited regional opportunities to learn the skills and earn the certifications essential for today’s modern production facilities.
Northwest Missouri State University is proposing to increase the labor force for the manufacturing and agribusiness industry clusters by offering comprehensive systems management training and skill development. Education in welding, precision measuring, electronics/electricity, mechatronics, PPE/safety are all being pursued. To deliver this industry demanded curriculum, Northwest renovated the McKemy Center for Lifelong Learning to include laboratory space and safety and infrastructure upgrades.
Technology/Simulator Lab featuring VRTEX Virtual Reality Welding Training Simulators. This educational tool promotes the efficient transfer of quality welding skills and body positioning to the welding booth, while reducing material waste associated with traditional welding training. The combination of realistic puddle, arc welding sound and real time feedback tied to the welder’s movement provides an exciting, hands-on training experience, ideal for basic to advanced welding training.
Multiple welding booths, each featuring a Power Wave C300, a portable multi-process wire feeder welder with high-end functionality capable of Stick, DC TIG, MIG, Pulsed MIG and Flux-Cored welding. The Power Wave is well suited for production welding, general fabrication, construction, and training and education.
Classroom featuring flexible tables and seating to allow for use in all learning formats.
