Students in industrial and law enforcement programs at Kaskaskia College will soon have new technology for their training.
The college board has approved a multi-station mechatronics training system at a cost of $45,480. College President George Evans says the system will allow students to replicate situations they will later face on the job.
“What megatronics does it just helps our students to understand language, what these machines are doing and also troubleshoot these machines. It allows them to work hands on in a fully functional unit that they can replicate exactly what is needed in the industry. Anything from a conveyer system through the more advanced type of machines like a plasma cutter, this type of system speaks the language of all of those and helps the program so they can all talk to each other.”
The college board also approved the purchase of a de-escalation simulator for a cost of $29,985 for the Law Enforcement Training program.
“Part of the internship experience is for students to visualize and learn from real life experiences out in the field. Weather its a ride along or dispatch, part of that experience is that live action real time incidents. So what this does is it creates for the students in the classroom a whole variety of different simulations or scenarios where the students have to act and respond accordingly.”
Evans says the Mechatronics system is being paid for through a Title Three Grant while COVID relief funds will pay for the de-escalation simulator.
The board also approved the purchase of a refurbished ultrasound system that will be used in the diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at a cost of $34,900.
The college board also approved a $39,096 bid from Kohrmann Electric of Bartelso to install five charging stations for electric vehicles. The college has received a grant through the Illinois Green Economic Network to complete the installation.
