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| Baxter the Robot cuts a ribbon during the grand opening of Southwestern Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Education Lab on Nov. 24 in Bryson City. |
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| Dr. Don Tomas, president of Southwestern Community College (fourth from right) helps Randy Lomax, Bryson City plant manager for ConMet, (fifth from left) stretch out a ribbon for Baxter the Robot (center) to cut at the grand opening of Southwestern Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Education Lab on Nov. 24 in Bryson City. Surrounding Lomax and Dr. Tomas are, from left: Mark Doolittle from Caterpillar; Wesley Mira of TekTone Sound and Signal; Lina Krisciokaityte of ConMet; N.C. Senator Jim Davis, Mark Sorrells of GoldenLEAF; U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows (to left of Baxter); Dan Gerlach (to right of Baxter), president of the Golden LEAF Foundation; John Mira-Knippel of TekTone Sound and Signal; John Edgemon (to right of Dr. Tomas) of Franklin Tubular Products; Karlene Cabe of Franklin Tubular Products; and Deana Vickers of HomeTex. |
In one room, a dancing DEPCO robot dazzled a crowd of school children.
Just down the hall, Swain County elementary students showed off what they’ve been learning this semester and tried their best to dumb down the basics of computer programming for any adult brave enough to ask.
And in Southwestern Community College’s new Advanced Manufacturing Education lab, Baxter the Robot carefully snipped a yellow ribbon to commemorate the facility’s grand opening – delighting a roomful of elected officials and industry, community and school leaders on Monday, Nov. 24, at the Swain County Business Education and Training Center.
Representatives of the Golden LEAF Foundation, which provided more than $1.5 million in grant funding for the project, were also on hand.
“We are changing the way people view manufacturing,” said U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows (R-Jackson County), who was in attendance along with N.C. Senator Jim Davis (R-Franklin) and N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen (D-Waynesville). “What we’re seeing now with advanced manufacturing is that these jobs aren’t just high-tech; they’re high-paying. What we must do as community leaders is work from local courthouses all the way to Washington, D.C. … We also need to be mindful that when you have a vision, it also requires action and diligence. Today, what we see is a vision that is starting to be acted on. We need to continue with that diligence and perseverance.”
Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC, thanked all of the college’s partners in the project – including all service area public school systems, Swain County Commissioners as well as community and industry leaders.
Dr. Tomas also praised Rep. Meadows and other elected officials for their support.
“We always talk about how an advocate puts you in their speeches and talks so highly of you,” Dr. Tomas said. “But a champion puts you in their budget. We thank you for supporting us and continuing to support us.”
SCC launched its mechatronics program this fall with the goal of building up a highly trained workforce in the field of advanced manufacturing to help fill jobs with industries currently in the area – and also to help attract more industries to Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary.
Dan Gerlach, president of the Golden LEAF Foundation, said the level of cooperation among SCC and its partners is inspiring.
“The citizens of this county came together and said, ‘This is a priority,’” Gerlach said. “They said, ‘Unless we invest in young people in Swain County Schools … unless we invest in Southwestern Community College … unless we work with our businesses and fill the gap that those companies say they need, then we we’ll not be successful.
“I’m an economist by trade,” Gerlach added. “With a stubbornly high unemployment rate, we know that a great deal of that is due to the fact there are job openings for which too many of our people don’t have the skills to fill. That’s the easiest part of the unemployment rate to attack. So attack it we shall.”
Davis, who like Meadows and Queen was recently re-elected, said: “It’s just amazing what can be accomplished when you combine local government with state government with federal government, educational systems and industry. There is nothing we cannot accomplish as Americans, and I’m proud to be one. I’m proud to be associated with Southwestern Community College in this effort.
“I will tell you that my mother was one of 10, and her youngest brother was just seven years older than I,” Davis added. “One of the fun things about going to Granny’s house was playing with my uncle’s Erector® set. This place is like an Erector® set on steroids.”
For more information about the Golden LEAF Foundation, visit www.goldenleaf.org.
To learn more about the mechatronics engineering technology program at SCC, contact program coordinator Jim Falbo at 828.339.4299 or j_falbo@southwesterncc.edu
