Bridging the Skills Gap: Hands-On Experience

Okuma recently announced the donation of an MC-V4020 CNC vertical machining center and an ES-L8II CNC lathe to the engineering technology programs at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), Charlotte, North Carolina. Okuma and CPCC dignitaries attended the formal announcement ceremony at the Advanced Technology Center on the CPCC campus. Okuma and CPCC share a longstanding relationship dating back to the early 1980s. The generous gift of this equipment supports Okuma’s and CPCC’s efforts to give students hands-on machining experience, manufacturing knowledge, skills and practical experiences necessary to pursue careers in today’s high technology industries.

Training the Next Generation

According to Jim King, President and COO, Okuma America, “The lack of skilled labor is one of the biggest threats to the manufacturing industry. We’re excited to partner with CPCC in educating and training the next generation of operators, machinists, and programmers.”

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Several key manufacturers have recently opened facilities in North and South Carolina that require skilled labor. This trend supports the important work of CPCC to prepare individuals for rewarding careers in the manufacturing field. “Teaching students with the Okuma machines creates a machining graduate with a more diversified set of machining skills. This set of skills appeals to a larger portion of employers, making our graduates highly valued. Okuma’s generosity is a great benefit to our students,” said Mike Hogan, CPCC associate dean of STEM programs.