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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Walk into the CNC mill operators class at Hoosier Hills Career Center, and you'll see it isn't a traditional shop course.
The three students enrolled in Greg Dickerson's class are studying hard to earn a National Institute of Metalworking Skills certification by trying their hands at a computer numerical control milling machine that can spin an end mill at 6,000 revolutions per minute to cut into a block of aluminum.
A green light at the top of the machine shines to show it's operating properly. Then, the students type in a program based on the form they want the machine to cut. With a low hum, the end mill drops down against the metal, etching and shaping it, leaving flakes of aluminum in its wake.
William Egnor, Chrissy Wade and Joe Dowell make up the first class at Hoosier Hills to ever try out the CNC mill, and for their first project, they chose to fashion an aluminum plaque to honor their achievement.
"First class," it said, with all of their names etched in. Dickerson's students will get more than a plaque out of finishing the course, however.
When the class ends in late January, the students will take a test to earn their certification and become Level 1 CNC Mill Operators, which will help them get their foot in the door for jobs.
"I work at Pizza Hut right now," said Egnor, who is almost 30 years old. "I need a career."
Egnor sees doors opening instead of closing in his future with a current certification from the 12-week class at Hoosier Hills.
"I can do on-the-job training, and after that, the opportunities are endless," he told The Herald-Times (http://bit.ly/1sE09dT ).
With his machining skills, Egnor will have a chance to work in numerous occupations that offer a starting wage of around $14 an hour.
Both Egnor and Wade got to enroll in the class for free through Work One, and they're hoping it will lead them into jobs they'll really enjoy.
"I like working with machines and thought it might be a good fit," Wade said. She hopes to eventually become a mold maker.
Teaching the course offers the instructor something as well.
"It's great to work with adult learners. They are eager to learn, and they're engaged. It's a wonderful experience for me, too," Dickerson said. From his point of view, teaching the class is a chance to give students an opportunity to better their lives and prove themselves.
Students in his class start with the basics about metals, blueprints and math. Then, they move out to the shop and learn how to load programs to make parts in the CNC mill. The skills gained from short-term adult education classes like Dickerson's CNC mill operators class will get students into an entry-level position in a job where workers are needed.
"The training is available and very short-term. The opportunity is here in our very own community," said Rob Moore, MCCSC's director of adult education. "We have some high demand jobs that need filled," he said.
Currently, the district offers adult education courses lasting 16 weeks or less that lead to certifications to become a computer support specialist or an automotive brake repair technician in addition to the CNC mill operators class.
Moore hopes to expand the offerings in the future to help students earn their commercial driver's licenses. No matter what adult education course they choose to take, when they're finished, "they're trained and certified and ready to work," he said.
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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com
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