Rose State College announces robotic program to help manufacturing industry

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. -A local college will start training Oklahoma manufacturers in a statewide workforce training effort.

Rose State College announced that its program was developed to train individuals to operate, train and integrate a collaborative robot into a manufacturing setting.

“It’s imperative that small and medium-sized manufacturers are exposed to the potential offered through collaborative robots,” said Dave Rowland, president of the Manufacturing Alliance. “It is even more important these manufacturers are provided appropriate technical assistance and training. This innovative partnership with Rose State College is critical in helping to alleviate the fundamental shortage of skilled labor – a problem that continues to plague Oklahoma industry.”

Organizers say the skillsets can be applied to the aerospace, automotive, electronic, consumer products, and medical device industries.

Manufacturers can also learn about collaborative robotics, which are smaller versions of the industrial robot. They are designed to handle repetitive tasks or tasks too difficult or dangerous for humans.

“The forum and Rose State’s Cobot training are designed to provide valuable insight into what this technology can do for manufacturers in all types of industry,” stated Tamara Pratt, Vice President of External Affairs and Workforce Development at Rose State College. “We’re proud to be able to jump out into a new area and start the dialogue with a solution we believe can be a game-changer for some of Oklahoma’s workforce needs.”

Rose State’s pilot program will begin in October with a 16-hour training offering. The training will include how Cobots impact machine learning, data analytics, supply chain management and the big picture of manufacturing integration.