Manufacturing isn’t what it used to be and to meet the demanding needs of jobs in the highly skilled areas of advanced manufacturing, the Dillon County Technology Center is offering a course of study called Mechatronics Integrated Technologies.
Mechatronics is a new interdisciplinary field involving mechanical, instrumentation, electronics, robotics/automation, computer components, and control systems.
Systems are networked to meet the demands of automated manufacturing processes, and technicians are trained to meet necessary entry-level industrial skills and entry into a post-secondary program at a technical college. Dual college credit is available for MIT-2 and MIT-3 through Northeastern Technical College.
In this course, students will learn to work safely with many hand and power tools, machinery, conventional and precision measuring tools, blueprints, drawings and CAD (Computer assisted drawings), CAM (computer aided manufacturing), conventional machine shop, modernized CNC – computer numerical control) machining and 3D printing (Additive manufacturing), basic electrical and PLC (programmable logic control), hydraulic/ pneumatics, CIM (Computer integrated manufacturing ), automated manufacturing, robotics, welding and fabrication processes. There is an emphasis on communication and employability soft skills.
Students will take-on challenges and gain exposure and experience by developing the skills needed to get entry-level jobs in the construction and manufacturing. Industry is very conscientious of the higher levels of attention one must acquire for success with actual hands-on skills needed to become a professional craftsman, and extend lucrative incentives for those who master the basics.
Some of the students who have successfully completed this program work in businesses and industries such as Angus-Palm , Advance Auto, Adtek-Telecommincations , BMW – Logisitics, City and County of Dillon (Police, Fire and Rescue), Davis Service Center, SC Department of Transportation (Dillon and Florence), CSX, Nucor, ESAB Welding Solutions, Expert Machine & Fabrication , GE Healthcare, Harbor Freight, Hinson’s Backhoe Home & Industrial, Honda of South Carolina Mfg., Inc., K & G Storage Systems, Miller Electrical & Plumbing, Mohawk Industries, Montone Trailers LLC, Ox Bodies Inc., Palmetto Paving Corporation, Pee Dee Tank, Rock-Tenn Co. (WestRock Co.), True Value Hardware, Vesuvius USA, Wal-Mart, Wix Filtration , UnderWriters Laboratories , Wyman-Gordon, and Agribusiness-(Cox Farms, Elliott Farms, and Huggins Farms).
The instructor is Jerry Bullard. Mr. Bullard has been teaching at the technology center for more than 25 years. He brings a lifelong list of diverse educational and industrial experience with knowledge, skills, and abilities from Aviation Manufacturing to local Industrial Maintenance technical experience.
Statistics show that people in this field earn about $25 per hour or $50,000 per year, and the job outlook is bright.
If you have an interest in a career in a dynamic field that changes daily with the rapid improvements in technology and computer systems, then mechatronics is the course for you. Contact the Dillon County AppliedTechnology Center for information on how to register.

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