Do Universities Need to Offer Automation Degrees?

electrical, electronic, mechanical, chemical, instrumentation, controls, computers, networking and information processing.

Actually your wrong, you just described 2 year associate degrees from tech schools. such as Electro-Mechanical Technician

They offer a focus curriculum for the surrounding industry. Unless an associate degree isn't enough for you

phoenix911

Yes sir! I agree since is all about on-off technology variants technically. Fundamentaly speaking it does have to be more complicated than that. Once you have the technology mainly you may apply such knowledge as 'all of the above', I'll bet! Electro-Mech juice basically, that's the deal. Unless more job security is the call for it I believe is better to keep it simple better. Crank that Puppy-Up!

You Have the Technology,

MC

Agreed. They (UNIs) don't need it as urgently as it described in blog article. A lot of contemporary electromechanical specializations is capable to cover all industry's needs (include automation, control, robotics etc ).

My sons looked for a robotics or mechatronics engineering degree and only found a few options. They both opted to become Ag Engineers and then continue their studies in the mechatronics field. I was disappointed in the amount of training that they received in the mechatronics area. I told them that college will give them the basics of math and science and most of their learning will come from the real world. They started programming in grade school and we currently are using LabView for our development work. We need to go from embedded to the web and desktop. Very few of the machines that we use on the farm will operate without the electronics. I don't think that we are going back to a day where the electronics and mechanics are separate. Not on this farm anyway!

McGraw-Hill had a correspond course that offered Industrial Electronics and Robotics.

NRI (acronym for National Radio Institute)

When I was running the CNC shop at the ship yard, I had taken this just to keep the machines running, considering we were JIT.

In was bare bones, very hands on and practical, got into basics theory but very little in depth, unless you pushed yourself.

But as a technician to analyze, locate and repair, it was perfect. I just took the class to add to my potential.

They closed it in the mid 90's.

phoenix911

I haven't worked in a job in the last 20 years where such a degree would not have been appreciated and valuable. I would venture to say that virtually ANY technical field in manufacturing or engineering, chemistry, construction, (especially HVAC) would benefit. the size of the automation industry is huge, and is not going to slow down. It is so much larger than 'robotics' All commercial buildings now employ automation in HVAC control, security, fire, etc. Manufacturing virutally always involves some form of automation... there is no escape.

trained in multiple displines is the key, without buttering your bread too thin.

My son is in his third year (of 3) at St Lawrence College in Kingston Ontario Canada.. in a program called "Energy Systems Engineering".. which has a very significant automation and controls section. The program as a whole is very good, and multidisciplinary. He even gets a gas fitters cert out of the deal. It covers a fairly wide spectrum from the engineering/drafting to project implementation and testing of energy (and control) systems...

There are a few Junior Colleges that offer a Robotic Automation degree.

Pearl River College down in Mississippi

Sinclair in Dayton, OH

St. Clair in Michigan

To name a few

These program would be better than the electrical - Mechanical option. Pearl River also has Dorms for your son to dtay in. Give these schools a look.