News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Motlow State’s McMinnville campus has completed an expansion for its mechatronics and new electric vehicle programs.
Automation and Robotics Technology Executive Director Larry Flatt said the project has doubled the available mechatronics space for both classroom and lab work. Flatt said the program’s curriculum can now support over twice as many students.
“The people coming out of the mechatronics program have the ability to serve as engineering technicians or maintenance technicians,” Flatt said. “And there’s a drastic need right now, a shortage if you will, in mid-state and the Southeast for those individuals.”
Flatt said the space will also house the new electric vehicle technician associate’s degree program starting next fall. Flatt said the college chose to start that program to supply employees for the growing EV industry within Tennessee.
“The state of Tennessee is being noted for being pretty much number one in the automotive industry with the large amount of car companies and tier one suppliers to automotive that we have in the state,” Flatt said.
Flatt said the school will likely have to hire at least four new instructors to support the growth of the mechatronics program. Flatt said the mechatronics program will begin using the new space at the start of the upcoming spring semester.
“We just got a certificate of occupancy last week,” Flatt said. “So our instructors are moving into the facility, all the furnishings are here, the building is completely usable.”
Flatt said there is already an instructor with the EV program working in the new space. Flatt said that instructor is working with Chattanooga State and its partner, Volkswagen, to design the new program.
“We’ll be taking their curriculum, modifying it to some of the courses we teach that they do not teach,” Flatt said. “And some of the equipment, for instance a car lift, a battery lift, charging stations, are already installed. We’re ready to go, we just have to start in sequence in order that all the courses follow correctly in the academic year of 25-26.”
