Pittsburgh Technical College offering new degree in automation and robotics repair – WTAE Pittsburgh

Aurora Autonomous Vehicle Company in Pittsburghs Strip District needs to hire more employees who can build and fix the tech-heavy cars and trucks the company designs.So they called Pittsburgh Technical College to help create a brand-new degree.Pittsburgh Technical College offers robotics classes, but there wasn't a comprehensive program graduating the kind of employee Aurora needs until now.Watch the video player above to learn more about this dynamic new degree.These service engineers are "really at the heart of what we do," said Matt Blackburn, senior manager of government relations at Aurora.He described the hardware that goes into what the company makes for vehicles: "Somebody has to build that, somebody has to repair that, somebody has to replace that. So that's what these technicians will be doing.""It's an opportunity to really integrate key components from major programs, like computer-aided design, engineering, electronics, to really create the technician of the future," Alicia Harvey-Smith, president and CEO of Pittsburgh Technical College, said.Students like Calle Barrett have a mind for robotics. She said that students would begin with a box with pieces for a robot. From there, "you build the robot from basically the wheels up, and you wired it and everything."A year ago, Aurora reached out to PTC to develop an associate degree in robotics and autonomous engineering. It will take 18 months to graduate and start working. Harvey-Smith estimated the starting salary range to be in the mid-to-high-$50,000's, "which is not bad for a student with an associate certification degree. But I think that will continue to grow as the demand increases and as this particular industry increases."David Becker, academic chair of Electronics, Trades and Technology for PTC, said that "Robotics is in its infancy." He added that "there's not enough students trained" in this "exploding" field.Not only are scholarships available, but the final part of the course can include a paid internship at Aurora.Aurora executives say this new associate degree, called robotics and autonomous engineering technology, or RAET, will also help fill positions across other Pittsburgh companies.Blackburn reminded potential students that "you don't have to work at Aurora" after completing this program. In fact, "you could work at any of the robotics/tech companies here in Pittsburgh.""The best part of this job is watching students get jobs, period," said Becker.The first session begins in October, but students can apply anytime through the link here.

Aurora Autonomous Vehicle Company in Pittsburghs Strip District needs to hire more employees who can build and fix the tech-heavy cars and trucks the company designs.

So they called Pittsburgh Technical College to help create a brand-new degree.

Pittsburgh Technical College offers robotics classes, but there wasn't a comprehensive program graduating the kind of employee Aurora needs until now.

Watch the video player above to learn more about this dynamic new degree.

These service engineers are "really at the heart of what we do," said Matt Blackburn, senior manager of government relations at Aurora.

He described the hardware that goes into what the company makes for vehicles: "Somebody has to build that, somebody has to repair that, somebody has to replace that. So that's what these technicians will be doing."

"It's an opportunity to really integrate key components from major programs, like computer-aided design, engineering, electronics, to really create the technician of the future," Alicia Harvey-Smith, president and CEO of Pittsburgh Technical College, said.

Students like Calle Barrett have a mind for robotics. She said that students would begin with a box with pieces for a robot. From there, "you build the robot from basically the wheels up, and you wired it and everything."

A year ago, Aurora reached out to PTC to develop an associate degree in robotics and autonomous engineering. It will take 18 months to graduate and start working.

Harvey-Smith estimated the starting salary range to be in the mid-to-high-$50,000's, "which is not bad for a student with an associate certification degree. But I think that will continue to grow as the demand increases and as this particular industry increases."

David Becker, academic chair of Electronics, Trades and Technology for PTC, said that "Robotics is in its infancy." He added that "there's not enough students trained" in this "exploding" field.

Not only are scholarships available, but the final part of the course can include a paid internship at Aurora.

Aurora executives say this new associate degree, called robotics and autonomous engineering technology, or RAET, will also help fill positions across other Pittsburgh companies.

Blackburn reminded potential students that "you don't have to work at Aurora" after completing this program. In fact, "you could work at any of the robotics/tech companies here in Pittsburgh."

"The best part of this job is watching students get jobs, period," said Becker.

The first session begins in October, but students can apply anytime through the link here.

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Pittsburgh Technical College offering new degree in automation and robotics repair - WTAE Pittsburgh