In recognition of the success of its engineering programs, County College of Morris recently was awarded a $35,000 grant from the Arconic Foundation to purchase additional state-of-the-art equipment for its engineering labs.
“This is another major step forward in the ongoing development of our engineering program and facilities,” said Patrick Enright, dean of the School of Professional Studies and Applied Sciences.
The grant will be used to purchase a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Multi-A
Photo: High school students enrolled in the NASA HUNCH program at CCM work with Professor Venancio Fuentes (second from right) and Lab Assistant Eric Pedersen (far right) in the college’s Engineering Lab.
Credit: Shelley Kusnetz Photography
xis Vertical Mill, which is used for fabricating parts. The machine will further enhance the hands-on learning opportunities for engineering students at the college.
Included among the college’s noteworthy engineering programs is its joint high school/college program in Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing (EDAM). The EDAM students at CCM are participants in a share-time program developed by the Morris County Vocational School District in partnership with the college. As part of that program, the students work as affiliates in the High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program to build parts for the International Space Station. The first EDAM class, which began at CCM in 2015, worked on stowage lockers for the space station that carry the signatures of the students and several CCM officials.
The EDAM program is a component in CCM’s ongoing efforts to meet growing demand in the field of advanced manufacturing.
“Our goal is to establish CCM as the premier provider of training and education for advanced manufacturing in New Jersey and for industry leaders to recognize us as the first source for their future workforce,” said Enright.
To better align the college’s curriculum with the needs of Morris County manufacturers, the college is introducing two new courses: Manufacturing Process for Engineering Technology and a capstone course for Advanced Manufacturing and CNC Programming. These courses will increase the hands-on aspects of the programs and further develop skills needed in the workplace.
The Mechanical Engineering Technology program at CCM is an ABET-accredited Associate of Applied Science degree program, whose enrollment has increased more than 55 percent over the last five years.
With more than 400 manufacturing companies in Morris County, there is a strong demand in the area for highly skilled engineering and production technicians with expertise in CNC machining, design and quality control.
The Arconic Foundation’s mission is to help support the workforce of tomorrow for successful, rewarding careers in manufacturing.
