MONROE – The Duke Energy Community College Grant Program has awarded a $225,400 grant to South Piedmont Community College to expand its Mechatronics program.

“This grant will allow us to purchase more equipment to allow us to serve more students,” said Stuart Wasilowski, SPCC’s vice president of Corporate and Continuing Education.

The Mechatronics program is taught at SPCC’s Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center on Airport Road in Monroe. The grant will be used to purchase a basic industrial controls trainer, an industrial wiring training system, a mechanical training system, a fluid control automation studio, a hydraulic/pneumatic training system and a welding training system.

“It’s the evolution of the program,” Wasilowski said. “When we started the program, we bought one of everything. Now, we’ll essentially have three of each.”

Wasilowski said the duplicate machines are the ones that are most popular for training. Previously, he said, the college sometimes had to choose whether to use a particular machine for training classes of individuals, or for a corporate client. This eliminates that problem.

“With the addition of our welding trainers and robotic capabilities we are well positioned to give students the best possible learning experience that they can leverage to a new career,” Wasilowski said.

Berry TriPlas – which makes injection-molded plastic packaging, thermoformed products, flexible films and tapes and coatings – was SPCC’s industry partner in applying for the grant. SPCC sought the grant in response to the needs of Berry TriPlas and other local industries and companies, Wasilowski said. Berry TriPlas relies heavily on SPCC to provide training for its workers. Local economic developers have identified plastics as a focal point for recruitment of new industry.

“The project will ensure SPCC has the capacity to produce a highly skilled workforce for the manufacturing community,” Wasilowski said. “In addition, a skilled workforce remains a high priority among companies who are considering relocation or expansion.”

SPCC has received four grants, totaling $948,810, from the Duke Energy Community College Grant Program, which is managed by the Foundation For The Carolinas. Two were for the CNC Machining program and another also went to the Industrial Maintenance/Mechatronics program. The Mechatronics program has been helped by the Golden LEAF Foundation, whose $575,000 grant facilitated the creation of the Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center.

For information about SPCC’s Mechatronics program, or to enroll, contact Russell Carpenter at 704-246-0964 or rcarpenter@spcc.edu.

Duke Energy has recognized that even though the Carolinas have top-rated community and technical college systems, budgetary constraints present a challenge for them. Duke Energy’s Community and Technical College Grant Program provides a financial boost that helps enable college systems to extend their expertise, to provide rewarding opportunities for students, and ultimately, to help revitalize manufacturing in the Carolinas.

Foundation For The Carolinas administers the Duke Energy Community College Grant Program. The Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation serving the philanthropic needs of donors and a broad range of charitable purposes in North and South Carolina. Visit www.fftc.org.

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Media inquiries -- Rosemary Britt, 704-272-5342, rbritt@spcc.edu