Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield-based remanufacturing company SRC dedicated the college’s new SRC Diesel Remanufacturing Lab today, Tuesday, Oct. 22. SRC donated $100,000 to the college to help create the new laboratory facility.
“SRC has been a great partner and advisor in helping the college match its curriculum to the needs of employers,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor. “This laboratory will allow us to produce even more graduates who are ready to go to work in the growing remanufacturing industry.”
Beginning in January 2020, the college will begin offering an Associate of Applied Science in Remanufacturing Technology. This new degree pathway is derived from a variety of disciplines, including diesel engine repair, industrial system safety and precision machining.
“In the past, we would hire people with transferable skills but then have to train them in remanufacturing,” said Jack Stack, SRC, CEO. “Now, remanufacturing is its own educational discipline. This new facility and degree path will provide us with skilled employees who are immediately prepared.”
Springfield is home to eight remanufacturing companies and 2,500 jobs, which account for nearly $100 million in payroll annually.*
Remanufacturing is the process of taking failed or worn equipment parts and fully restoring those parts to as-good-as or better-than-new condition. The benefits of remanufacturing include conserving natural resources while lowering the total cost of ownership of the end user’s equipment and driving higher dealer profit margins.
The SRC Diesel Remanufacturing Lab is adjacent to the college’s new MHC Diesel Technician Training Center, located on the corner of National Avenue and Central Street. The MHC Diesel Technician Training Center opened in January of 2019.
*Statistics provided by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
