Lincoln Tech Dedicates Gene Haas Center for CNC Manufacturing
Lincoln Tech’s Indianapolis, IN campus has opened a newly rebuilt center for manufacturing career training – the Gene Haas Center for Advanced Automation. The lab will serve as the primary training area for students pursuing careers in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Manufacturing Technology, used today in modern factories producing components for everything from the aerospace and automotive industries to the military and construction services, along with healthcare, electronics, and many other fields.
For nearly 30 years Haas Automation, founded by Gene Haas, has served as a global leader in the production of CNC machines and equipment. The Indianapolis campus is the third Lincoln Tech site to offer CNC training on Haas machinery, following Mahwah, NJ and Grand Prairie, TX.
Lincoln Tech President and CEO Scott Shaw acknowledged Haas for their contributions to the school, including equipment and guidance in curriculum development. “Haas has made investing in education a priority and a company-wide focus,” Shaw says. “We thank them for their continued support of Lincoln’s effort to grow the workforce in a career field that is critical to the return of manufacturing jobs to the U.S.”
Nearly 200 students graduated from Lincoln Tech’s CNC Manufacturing programs last year, entering a field that’s projected to add over 50,000 professionals nationally over the next seven years according the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In Indiana alone, the BLS projects growth of 30 percent by 2024, making it one of the state’s fastest-growing skilled trade careers. Shaw says Lincoln Tech is proud to assist Haas and its customers in bridging the skills gap in this highly technical, computer-driven field. “Manufacturers are struggling to compete due to the challenge of finding qualified employees,” says Haas Senior Vice President Peter Zierhut. “The skills gap can be closed and schools like Lincoln Tech will help make that happen.”
Driving CNC Manufacturing Forward in the Gene Haas Center!
Haas Automation has another connection to Lincoln Tech: Gene Haas is a co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, an American professional stock car racing team. One of the team’s premier drivers is Kurt Busch, NASCAR champion and this year’s Daytona 500 champion. Busch sent his show car to the Indianapolis campus for the dedication ceremony, and sent a video for the event talking about how Lincoln Tech training can help students start rewarding careers in industries that are growing around the country.
Lincoln Tech is proud to have called Haas Automation a partner for the past four years, and looks forward to continuing a relationship benefitting students and manufacturers alike!