The Ozarks Technical Community College Foundation announced a six-figure gift from the Gene Haas Foundation for the precision machining lab inside the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing. The Gene Haas Foundation Precision Machining Lab will be located in the high-bay space of the PMC.
“The Gene Haas Foundation is pleased to partner with Ozarks Technical Community College on the impressive new Gene Haas Precision Machining Center. We believe that manufacturing is the foundation of a prosperous community,” said Kathy Looman, director of education centers and Gene Haas naming grants. “It is important for us to partner with schools and support their quest to become representations of advanced manufacturing. This assures that students are being trained in the latest technologies while attracting more young people to choose manufacturing as a career pathway that has amazing opportunities for lifelong learning.”
The Precision Machining Technology Program trains students to shape large materials into small parts and tools using specialized machinery. Students receive hands-on training with advanced machine tools and learn the fundamental skills needed to precisely manufacture products and tooling.
“This is the largest donation the college has received from the Gene Haas Foundation, and we’re grateful for the relationship,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor. “It’s gratifying that the Gene Haas Foundation recognizes the positive impact the Plaster Manufacturing Center will have on our students and the economic future of the region.”
In addition to the precision machining program, the 120,000 square foot Plaster Manufacturing Center will provide training in the following disciplines when it opens in August of 2022:
- Drafting & Design
- Manufacturing Technology
- Mechatronics
- Networking
- Cybersecurity
- Automation and Robotics
Other significant contributors to the $40 million Plaster Manufacturing Center include:
- The Robert W. Plaster Foundation
- Larry and Donna Snyder
- American National
- The Durham Company
- Emerson
About the Gene Haas Foundation:
The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Haas Automation, Inc., Founder and CEO Gene Haas, to support the needs of the local community, through grants to such local charities as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Food Share, Rescue Mission, and others.
Seeing a growing need for skilled manufacturing employees industry-wide, the Foundation expanded its mission to include support for manufacturing training programs throughout North America and beyond. By providing scholarship grants, sponsoring individual and team CNC competitions, and partnering with the very best CNC training programs in the world, the Foundation helps expand the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training worldwide.
