It’s been a while since we last communicated.  I want to giveyou a short update on the success of our FANUC lab and share an interesting bit of news.   

First, it should go without saying that our students really enjoy learning in the lab.  It is easily a highlight in the curriculum and continues to be a stop on every tour of our college.  This year, we had over 250 Mohawk Mechanical and Electrical Engineering students take the robotics course; McMaster University added another 50 BTECH students and during the summer, 20 of McMaster Masters of Engineering students took the course.  Not all the courses are identical, but they are very similar and your Tool Handling curriculum is the basis of them all.  A majority of the students pass your certification.  So, we’ve added about 300 FANUC certified personnel to the workforce. 

 Next year I expect the numbers will increase.  McMaster already has 40 Master’s students registered.  In the new-year we will start work on a Vision course.  It will be an elective.

 The feedback I’ve gotten from industry has been positive.  Companies like National Steel Car have asked for certification as a prerequisite to their co-op hiring.  Just today, I heard that two McMaster BTECH Engineering students are flying to California to interview at Tesla.  Tesla advertised for FANUC experience and a key reason the students are considered by Tesla is that they have FANUC certification.

 Your partnership has been an overwhelming success.  We’ve used it as a model for similar initiatives at the Mohawk.  I hope your other partners get as much out of their FANUC robots as we are getting from ours.

 Regards,

George Miltenburg

Associate Dean, School of Engineering Technology

Chemical, Environmental, Biotechnology, Aviation, Mechanical, and NDE

135 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton, ON L9C-0E5, Room Q104

905-575-2282

www.mohawkcollege.ca