LCCC to offer applied bachelor’s degree in microelectronic manufacturing

Lorain County Community College announced it will offer applied bachelor’s degrees in microelectronic manufacturing.

On June 22, LCCC’s District Board of Trustees signed a resolution in support of the design and launch of the applied bachelor’s degree program.

The move comes as the Ohio Legislature is expected to pass a budget proposal for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 which includes a provision giving community colleges the opportunity to offer select applied bachelor’s degrees in areas of

unmet industry need, according to a news release from the college.

In 2014, LCCC launched its microelectro mechanical systems associate degree program, which was the first of its kind in the state of Ohio and one of 16 in the United States.

LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger said expanding on this offering will be a benefit to both students and employers in the region.

“This legislation is a game-changer for Ohio,” Ballinger said in the release. “Ohio has set a target to have 65 percent of its workforce with an industry recognized credential or degree by 2025.

“Institutions of higher education need to do all we can to reach this goal, including pursuing new models. LCCC is ready to step up and this program hits the mark.

“Employers are engaged in the process and working with us to design and deliver the program. Students are excited because it leads

to a degree and a good job.”

Graduates of the associate degree MEMS program, complete paid internships with industry partners through the “learn and earn model” and the program has a 100 percent job placement rate, according to the release.

“The employment rate of our graduates is a testament to the need for this program,” said Johnny Vanderford, professor of microelectronics and MEMS engineering. “By expanding LCCC’s offerings to include an applied bachelor’s degree, we will be directly

meeting the needs of employers in this high growth field.”

The program will follow a 3+1 structure with the first three years of the program at LCCC’s low tuition rate, the release said. The fourth year of the program will be at LCCC’s tuition rate and will include additional equipment and technology fees. The total cost of the program will amount to less than $15,000.

“The authority to deliver applied bachelor’s degrees, especially in fields like this, expands upon our commitment to our community to

keep access to higher education affordable,” Ballinger said. “In fact, this program, designed and delivered totally by Lorain County Community College, will cost students less than $15,000; that’s equivalent to one year at a public university.

“Furthermore, it’s a great return on investment. Salary levels for students after graduation are on average $65,000 or more.”

Classes are held in the Richard Desich SMART Commercialization Center and Desich Business and Entrepreneurship Center, which includes a

2,000-square-foot class and a 10,000-square-foot clean room.

Microelectronic manufacturing is an emerging advanced manufacturing field that helps companies make products and processes “smart” by embedding sensors and microelectromechanical systems, according to the release.

Microelectronic manufacturing is an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical and electrical engineering technology with science, mathematics and communications, the release said.