Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1313710
22 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 expect results, and that's how we treat this program. We ask ourselves, "Are the compa- nies happy with the workforce that they get?" Companies often want to hire out of our pro- gram. For instance, Lincoln Electric hired two students out of the program. They put them through the company's two-week training program. The company found out in the first week that they were so good at what they've been trained in from the MEMS degree that they were outperforming people who had been there for years. They told us, "We haven't seen people like this for a while." Afterward, they created a position just for MEMS students from LCCC. They've since then called back and asked, "Can we please get more?" Companies are realizing more and more that students trained in the MEMS degree know what they're doing, and they don't have to train them because they can just hit the ground running right when they hire them. It's fantas- tic. That's how you produce. Johnson: It's an amplification loop. You dialed in some very specific needs for the employers. You started delivering on that, which created more demand and spread the word about how students can get a job and career out of this pro- gram. It's almost guaranteed. Now, you have people interested in the program, moti- vated students, and ongoing feedback from these employers who are hiring. As long as you're listening and adapting, your program continues to spin up. Vanderford: One of the things that we get that's different as a community college is the variety of incoming students. I like to say that this degree is from kids aged six to 60, which doesn't fall too far from where the fence is. For example, we have high school students taking college classes so that they can earn an associ- ate's degree while they're in high school, which is called College Credit Plus. One man got his degree at age 61 through our program. Now, he's working for a company in Wooster, Ohio, doing PCB manufacturing. They're one of the only companies in our area that has a machine to automatically place through-hole compo- nents, and he also does box builds. He came into college originally as a retired letter carrier from the U.S. Postal Service, and he wanted to say to his grandchildren, "If Grandpa can get a college degree, so can you." He walked out with a degree and a job and told his grandchil- dren, "If Grandpa can get a job, so can you." We also have military veterans using their VA and GI Bills, and this program is appeal- ing because it's low-cost, career-centered, and offers job security. Many DoD contractors like hiring veterans. One of our participating com- panies designs and manufactures infrared cameras for detecting human heat signatures to help rapid-fire artillery equipment lock onto human targets through walls. They like getting military personnel that come in because they have clearance. That's what they need in order to hire someone in. Johnson: Thank you both very much for your time. Vanderford: This has been great. Tenhover: Thanks so much. SMT007 Workbenches with inspection equipment in a MEMS program lab space.