A-B Tech Announces New Programs for Fall 2021
A-B Tech will offer two exciting new programs for the fall semester, which begins August 23, 2021.
Mechatronics Engineering Technology and Therapeutic Culinary have been added to the curriculum to help meet evolving needs for students and employers.
Mechatronics Engineering Technology
The decision to offer Mechatronic Engineering Technology has been in the works for some time as A-B Tech faculty explored whether it would be a better fit for the evolving advanced manufacturing industry than the previous Industrial Systems Technology program.
“Our primary interest in this change was to make sure the identity of the program is one that resonates with the needs of employers, while also effective and interesting to potential students as we continue moving deeper into the 21st century,” said Kevin Kiser, Chair of Computer Integrated Machining, Mechatronics Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Mechatronics Engineering Tech-nology includes instruction in prototype testing, manufacturing and operational testing, systems analysis and maintenance procedures. It provides training across a variety of skill areas including basic welding, basic machine shop operations, blueprint reading, CAD, industrial safety, AC/DC electricity, motor controls, PLCs, robotics, basic HVACR maintenance, hydraulics and pneumatics, mechanical maintenance, instrumentation, basic management, and industrial wiring.
Students have the opportunity to earn either a degree, diploma, or certificate. Internships, apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities are available to students in the program.
“New this fall, we also are offering a Spanish Only machining applications course taught by a machining instructor who is fluent in Spanish and an expert in machining operations,” said Kiser. “It was established to help fill job vacancies in the machining field.”
The class is scheduled for Monday and Wednesday evenings to meet the needs of working students and scholarships are available to students taking the class. Learn more at abtech.edu/mechatronics.
Therapeutic Culinary
A-B Tech’s Therapeutic Culinary certificate can be earned in three semesters and is designed to offer students an in-depth overview and training in specialized dietary needs through therapeutic cuisine. Students will also learn basic culinary skills, an understanding of food safety and sanitation, nutrition and food science.
“One very attractive aspect of food service in a healthcare setting is its constancy,” said A-B Tech Culinary graduate Jonathan Eller, an Executive Sous Chef for Novant Healthcare. “In the Covid-19 outbreak, when many kitchens were being shut down, cooks working in healthcare were essential employees. No matter what, people in hospitals and assisted living facilities have to eat.”
Eller also said working conditions in healthcare food service are often much better than in traditional restaurants. “Benefits are the norm rather than the exception. Pay is often higher than average, and growth opportunities abound for talented, hard-working individuals,” he said.
“We are all extremely excited about this new culinary certificate,” said Cathy Horton, Director of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts. “Not only will it provide current students with an opportunity to widen their depth of culinary knowledge, it will open doors to new students who are interested in the culinary healthcare industry.”
According to Horton, jobs in healthcare are plentiful with opportunities for culinarians in hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools, and contract food service operations. These companies are hiring at strong wages, and most offer benefits. “Early feedback from students has been very strong, and we believe this certificate will provide those with an interest in specialized dietary needs a way to move into this field,” she said.
The certificate will provide a range of skillsets that employers value in healthcare fields as well as traditional restaurant venues. The course work can be of particular value to individuals already employed in the fields of healthcare foodservice. The classes can increase understanding of specialized and restrictive diets.
“When being considered for a position in healthcare food service, someone with the credentials and training would have a distinct advantage over candidates merely coming from a restaurant background,” Eller said. “The combination of basic culinary training, food science, food safety, and diet education is appealing to employers.”
The certificate is available now and registration for fall classes opens June 21, 2021. For more information, visit abtech.edu/therapeutic-culinary.
About A-B Tech Community College
Founded in 1959 in the heart of Asheville, A-B Tech is the largest higher education institution in Western North Carolina, serving more than 23,000 students a year in Buncombe and Madison counties. One of 58 community colleges in the NC Community College System, A-B Tech offers more than 125 degrees, diplomas and certificates, as well as a wide range of workforce training and continuing education programs.
A-B Tech includes the main Asheville campus, A-B Tech Enka (home of the A-B Tech Small Business Center and Business Incubation Program, Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast and N.C. BioNetwork), A-B Tech Madison, A-B Tech South, A-B Tech Woodfin and the Goodwill Center in West Asheville.
Learn more at abtech.edu.
