Jones Metal Products chairperson speaks at COTC accreditation event

Jones Metal Products Company Chairperson Marion Mulligan Sutton was one of the guest speakers at the Central Ohio Technical College Engineering Technology Programs ETAC / ABET Accreditation event in Newark on Friday morning, Sept. 23. Mark Fortune | Beacon

NEWARK – Four associate degree engineering technology programs at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) have been internationally accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ETAC/ABET). The ETAC/ABET accredited programs are electrical engineering technology, architectural engineering technology, civil engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology.

“The mission of Central Ohio Technical College is to meet the education and training needs of students and employers in the  area,” said COTC President Bonnie L. Coe, Ph.D. “Employers in our region said they needed a highly-skilled, technically-trained workforce in the area of engineering technology to fill in-demand jobs. We wanted to provide the best programs we could to meet those needs, which is why we sought and achieved the ABET accreditation.”

ABET accredits college and university programs around the world in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. ABET began as the educational standard against which professional engineers in the United States were held for licensure. Today, after more than 80 years, ABET’S standards continue to play this fundamental role and have become the basis of quality for more than 40 disciplines all over the world.

There are 44 engineering technology programs accredited by ABET in the state of Ohio. However, only nine of the 23 two-year community technical colleges in the state have ABET accredited engineering technology programs.

“This accreditation puts these engineering technology programs at COTC in a new league. Students will know they are graduating from quality programs that are going to teach them the skills they need to succeed, and employers are going to have the kind of workforce they need to fill the positions they have available in our region,” said COTC Interim Dean for Engineering Technology Whit Tussing.

Jones Metal Products Company Chairperson Marion Mulligan Sutton was one of the guest speakers at the Central Ohio Technical College Engineering Technology Programs ETAC / ABET Accreditation event. Following the event Sutton shared with The Beacon how the accreditation will impact the region and Jones Metal Products Company specifically, “We are able to train our own people for the next step up but this engineering technology program at COTC is going to give us a new avenue for new people.”

“Our engineering team is not static. People do move in and out of it. Every time we look for someone for our engineering team we look for someone who has some knowledge and training. That is not easy to find. We are able to train our own people for the next step up but this engineering technology program at COTC is going to give us a new avenue for new people.

“The need is going to continue to grow for companies that have high tech equipment. There is no question that the machines require programming, they require maintenance and they require problem solving skills that engineering technology people learn.

“We never had any kind of a higher education program before COTC in Coshocton ever. Since COTC has been here our level of education in our community has gone way up and it will continue to go up.”

Sutton provided a brief overview of the Jones Metal Products Company history and the value of the accreditation during her official remarks, “We now have a team of engineering specialists who develop parts that we supply to airplane engine manufacturers, land-based turbine manufacturers, lighting reflector manufacturers and many others.”

“Many of our local employers in Coshocton County are looking for people with engineering technology skills, problem solving skills and team working skills. But in Coshocton County the workforce is not necessarily prepared for work of this sort. Only 48 percent of the people over age 25 have graduated from high school.

“The effort that COTC is making to prepare and introduce new men and women to the manufacturing workforce is needed in Coshocton County and it is ongoing.

“Course work can be taken at the COTC Coshocton campus in Montgomery Hall in Roscoe Village and manufacturers can develop internships and other practical experiences for the program students. The engineering technology programs, now ABET accredited, will help supply the people that we so much need.”

Category: Education