CCC Receives Significant NSF Grant
October 24, 2025
CCC Receives Significant NSF Grant
Central Community College has received almost $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The money will help CCC teach mechatronics to working adults and students in adult education programs.
Mechatronics is a mix of computers and machines and is often called industrial automation. People who work in this field use problem-solving and hands-on skills to work with robots and other automated systems in factories and other workplaces.
According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, the state expects about 2,967 job openings each year for mechatronics workers over the next eight years. People with a mechatronics degree earn about $37.17 per hour on average.
The three-year program started this month and will teach 180 students using online lessons and portable training kits. Students can learn without leaving their jobs or local CCC adult education centers.
“This project gives working adults and adult education students a chance to learn important skills in a way that fits their busy lives,” said Dan Davidchik, CCC-Columbus mechatronics instructor and project principal investigator. “This project opens doors for non-traditional learners—working adults and those in adult education programs—by giving them access to accredited technical training that fits their lives.”
CCC instructors and staff will also train industry partners and adult education workers to help students succeed. CCC has already taught mechatronics online in high schools for five years.
“We’re excited to help adult students get the training they need to start working sooner,” said Becky Fausett, CCC’s adult education director.
The project is led by a group of Nebraska business leaders, CCC teachers and staff. They plan to share what they learn so other colleges and companies can use the same model.
“CCC has always been interested in supporting our business partners and this project takes that support to an even higher level,” said Doug Pauley, associate dean of training development. “Fitting training and education into someone’s life is hard but our goal is to make it more convenient for the student and the business.”
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California’s Sierra College, Roseville Joint Union High School District to Offer Mechatronics Training at High School Level
In the U.S., California is the leading employer for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technicians. Training people to fill these roles domestically is critical for supply chain resilience. For the U.S. to compete globally, and bring manufacturing and innovation back to American soil, they need a skilled workforce that can operate and maintain complex systems. Recently, Sierra College, just outside Sacramento, Calif., and nearby Roseville Joint Union High School District teamed up to create a dual-enrollment partnership to start building that talent pipeline early – during students’ high school years
