OSU-Lima freshman and Ottawa-Glandorf graduate Chase Faber demonstrates a metal lathe in the manufacturing and machining lab at the university’s Engineering Education and Manufacturing Center during a ribbon cutting and open house for the facility Friday.
Craig Kelly | The Lima News
LIMA — As manufacturers are looking to attract a new generation of workers, area centers of learning are working to instill the knowledge and foster the skills needed to fill those positions. That partnership can be seen at The Ohio State University-Lima’s Engineering Education and Manufacturing Center located next to Lima’s Ford Engine Plant on Bible Road. On Friday, the center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house to show the fruits of that collaboration.
The 40,000-square-foot manufacturing center, located six miles from the OSU-Lima campus, consists of a 300-seat auditorium, eight lab spaces and 12 classrooms and breakout rooms covering areas like robotics, graphic engineering, machining and more. The facility houses courses for the university’s Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology program, and having these resources in close proximity to the Ford Engine Plant creates opportunities for both networking and for real-world lesson application.
“We will soon be graduating our first group of students this spring,” OSU-Lima Interim Dean Margaret Young said. “They’re going to come out of this program with the skills they need to immediately start contributing to the work of advanced manufacturing facilities.”
Having a facility like this in Lima will both create a better-trained workforce and make Lima a more attractive destination for that workforce, according to Lima Ford Engine Plant Manager Lamar Jones.
“This center further establishes west central and northwest Ohio as the hub of manufacturing engineers,” he said. “By bringing the education and industry together in one space, students will enjoy easy access to a wealth of resources and allow them to immediately contribute.”
Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, third-year engineering technology student Joshua Niekamp expressed gratitude for the opportunity to go into an engineering program close to his home in Minster, allowing him to become more familiar with robotic manufacturing technology and programming.
“I know I’m going to go back to Minster to work near home after graduation, and hopefully, with the experience and connections I have gained here, I am confident that my dreams will become a reality,” he said.
