“We did some research,” says Jeff McFadden, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Management, “and learned we had quite a few manufacturers in our area. In fact, we have a dozen Fortune 500s within a three-hour drive!”

After talking with the management of these companies, McFadden and his team learned the manufacturers’ biggest challenge was finding skilled manufacturing workers. “Many said to us, ‘We could expand if only we had the skilled people.’ This was a huge shock to us – mainly because we just didn’t know,” he says.

McFadden and his colleagues also realized that while coal mining is seeing some rejuvenation, and the positions are high-paying, the sector’s renewal won’t bring back as many jobs as it once employed.

Enter the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which funds initiatives that help transition displaced coal miners.

“Coal miners have many of the skills needed in manufacturing jobs, such as welding, equipment maintenance and installation, CNC operation, etc., but need to be trained for emerging industries and technologies and their associated skills,” says McFadden.

McFadden put together a proposal for the establishment of a new Center for Excellence in Manufacturing Engineering (CEME) at Bluefield State College – and was awarded a $1.5 million grant by ARC. (Source)

The purpose behind the CEME is threefold: to train students and displaced miners while also helping the local industrial base implement new technologies. The program also helps non-traditional students, including those in their mid-20s to 40s, and military veterans, gain the skilled training the area’s manufacturers need today.

In addition to setting up the new Center, the grant has allowed McFadden to purchase two Sawyer collaborative robots – something he had wanted to do after seeing demonstrations of both Sawyer and Baxter working with humans a few years ago.