Tri-County Revamps, Renames Manufacturing Management Program
March 2, 2015
PENDLETON, SC – Tri-County Technical College’s Engineering and Industrial Technology Division has renamed and revamped its manufacturing management program to offer students the technical expertise and the leadership training/skills required of today’s industry team leaders.
The two-year Industrial Supervision program underwent a title change effective last month and is now called Manufacturing Management and Leadership to better reflect the skills of a first-line manager in today’s modern manufacturing facilities, said Program Coordinator Stan Compton. Curriculum updates and customized technical courses are two changes to the program that make it more relevant for future team leaders in today’s workplace.
The Manufacturing Management and Leadership curriculum focuses on first-line management duties and responsibilities in a modern manufacturing facility,” said Compton. “We’ve revised and added courses to ensure that students are learning the skills important to industry, such as lean manufacturing, quality assurance, manufacturing processes and the leadership soft skills unique to industrial supervision,” said Compton.
Importantly, students also must take 16 course hours in a technical field or fields of their choice. A Manufacturing Management and Leadership major can select from a variety of engineering and industrial technology concentrations that include engineering graphics, general engineering, industrial electronics, mechatronics, CNC programming and operations and welding.
“The student can choose which technical area to focus on in those 16 hours of coursework. That’s the beauty of it,” said Compton.
Compton says the expectations of first-line manufacturing managers have evolved so much in recent years that even the title “supervisor” is increasingly being replaced by “team leader,” which better describes the leadership and coaching roles required for these positions.
“There is more employee engagement, giving the manager more empowerment to leverage employees’ minds and skills toward the company’s goals and mission. He or she spends more time on the floor instead of in the office, acting as the quarterback of the team and a direct participant in projects and goals.”
Students majoring in the division’s other technical programs can add just eight classes and earn a second degree in Manufacturing Management and Leadership “which would put them ahead of the pack in their field and or in the job market,” said Compton.
