Festo Didactic, Sinclair Community College, TechSolve and five companies in the Cincinnati tri-state area (Art Metal Group, Clippard Instruments, Festo Inc., MQ Automation, Nestlé) created a two-year Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program to help employers develop the skills and workforce that are missing in companies today.

Graduates are now working full-time with their employer and putting the knowledge and skills they have acquired over the past two-years.

This 2-year program combines theoretical education with hands-on training and on-the-job training. The benefits to this program are companies will gain highly competent employees, help in improving productivity and quality of service reduce turnover costs while at the same time increase employee retention.

MAP² (Mechatronics Apprentice Program Partners) is designed to help individuals learn advanced manufacturing skills as well as earn an associate’s degree in mechatronics with a well know college in Ohio. The first cohort of the program included 10 apprentices who were trained for careers as maintenance technicians, automation specialists, mechatronics specialist, service technicians, and manufacturing technicians.

The first class of MAP² apprentices graduated from Sinclair Community College May 6, 2018. Each apprentice is now working full-time with their employer and putting the knowledge and skills they have acquired over the past two-years to actual practice.