Owens selected as the newest Gene Haas CNC Machining Lab
The partnerships among Owens Community College, Haas Automation, Inc., HFO Midwest and the Gene Haas Foundation has been taken to the next level as the Gene Haas Foundation recently awarded a $250,000 grant for naming rights to the new Owens Dana Advanced Manufacturing Training Center’s Computer Numeric Control (CNC) Machining Lab.
The 7,000-square-foot space will be known as the Gene Haas CNC Machining Lab and will feature several Haas CNC machine tools to prepare students for high-paying manufacturing jobs.
The Haas Foundation grant follows the 2019 gift from Dana Incorporated for which the advanced manufacturing training center is named.
“Our Dana Center, including the Gene Hass CNC Machining lab, demonstrates the college’s commitment to specialized training in advanced manufacturing and related fields,” said Bill Balzer, interim president, Owens Community College. “This generous grant from the Gene Haas Foundation enhances our strong, long-standing partnership to ensure meeting the region’s employment and training needs for many years to come.”
Students pursuing a mechanical major are instructed in drafting, machine design and repair and machining principles, which may include tool and die design and detailing, fluid power applications and CNC applications. In addition to theory and hands-on instruction, students will take courses such as communications, industrial psychology, management and applied statistical process control.
The Gene Haas CNC Machining lab is a state-of-the-art educational space for students, incumbent workers, individuals, and companies who seek hands-on training and advanced skills needed by Northwest Ohio’s regional manufacturing-based employers.
Additionally, the lab will be dedicated to students pursuing various degrees and certificates, including Applied Engineering Technology, CAD Technology, Skilled Trades Mechanical, Industrial Mechanic Certificate, Tool & Die/Mold Making, Welding and more.
“I’m extremely proud of the evolution of our partnership with Owens Community College and congratulate them on being awarded a $250,000 grant by the Gene Haas Foundation,” Dave Tucker, president of HFO Midwest said. “Owen’s Community College was one of our earliest Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC) success stories, going back more than 20 years. Our early adoption of the HTEC program has proven to be a winning proposition for all stakeholders, as well as the manufacturing communities we serve. I’m confident that the new Gene Haas CNC Machining Lab at Owens will prepare students for a great career in manufacturing by educating them on the most popular and advanced CNC machine tools currently in use.”
Owens regional business partners have expressed an urgent need for additional training to meet the predicted 2,118 new jobs in advanced manufacturing over the next five years. The Gene Haas Foundation’s continued investment in Owens will provide additional hands-on training to students and increase skilled personnel entering the workforce. “Owens Community College is a known pillar in the region for delivering advanced manufacturing training opportunities,” adds Toni Neary, director of education, Morris Group, Inc., Haas Tower Services. “We have fostered an amazing partnership with Owens Community College including housing our local showroom on campus, working pro-actively in the HTEC (Haas Technical Education Center) network and with annual grants for student scholarships from the Gene Haas Foundation. This takes our partnership to the next level.”
Approximately 200 to 300 credit and non-credit students utilize the CNC lab annually while completing Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) courses.
The Dana Center focuses on expanding and preparing new and incumbent skilled workers in Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The 59,000-square-foot facility features six skilled technology labs, including computer-aided design (CAD), CNC and manual machining, electrical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and alternative energy, mechanical and pneumatics, and robotics and programmable logic controller (PLC).
For more information on the Dana Center or the Gene Haas CNC Machining Lab, visit owens.edu/danacenter.