Alcoa supports mechatronics degree and noncredit training at Penn College

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A $50,000 grant from Alcoa Foundation will benefit the mechatronics associate-degree major at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, as well as corresponding noncredit training courses.The recently awarded grant is earmarked for equipment and supplies to enhance student learning and understanding of industry tools, including a laser alignment system, a vibration analysis system, inspection cameras and thermal-imaging cameras.“We are extremely grateful for the support of Alcoa Foundation,” said Elizabeth A. Biddle, director of corporate relations. “The grant allows us to augment the hands-on experience that is a hallmark of a Penn College education. Thanks to Alcoa’s generosity, we can continue to grow the mechatronics major and related noncredit programming for our students.”Mechatronics integrates electrical, mechanical and computer engineering into one field. Penn College’s associate degree in mechatronics engineering technology provides students with the skill set necessary to install, calibrate, modify, troubleshoot, repair and maintain automated systems. The degree leads to technical careers in manufacturing and the natural gas industry.Equipment purchased with grant funds will also be used by students in noncredit training courses offered by Workforce Development & Continuing Education at Penn College. Those courses include industrial motor controls, industrial electricity/wiring and hydraulics/pneumatics.Alcoa is a global leader in lightweight materials technology, engineering and manufacturing. Alcoa Foundation is one of the nation’s largest corporate foundations, investing more than $615 million during the past 63 years.Kawneer Company Inc. in Bloomsburg, part of Alcoa’s Building and Construction Systems business, recommends grants to Alcoa Foundation that support the local community. The $50,000 grant helped mark the 50th anniversary of Kawneer in Bloomsburg.For information about the mechatronics degree and other majors offered by Penn College’s School of Industrial, Computing & Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520 or visit www.pct.edu/ICET.Workforce Development & Continuing Education at Penn College customizes and delivers innovative, cost-effective, personal and professional development and training to meet the challenges of business and industry. Information regarding classes can be obtained at www.pct.edu/wdce or by calling 570-327-4775.For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.