For the City Times

In celebration of National Engineering Week, Mid-State Technical College’s (Mid-State) Technical & Industrial Division is hosting Engineering Day from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 24.

High school students throughout central Wisconsin are invited to explore high-demand engineering careers through a series of three 60- to 90-minute activities, with each activity associated with one of Mid-State’s three engineering-related programs. A free lunch is included for all attendees.

Engineering Day is being held at Mid-State’s Wisconsin Rapids Campus (500 32nd Street North). Participants are asked to register to ensure there is enough food and beverages for all in attendance. High school counselors, teachers, and administrators are also invited to make registration arrangements for groups. Mid-State will also pick up the cost of busing large groups.

According to Mid-State Associate Dean Gary Kilgas, graduates from Mid-State programs associated with the engineering field are in incredibly high demand.

“Engineering careers are hot—there are more hiring opportunities in our area than graduates to fill them,” Kilgas said. “Our students are often offered employment before they graduate.”

Mid-State offers three cutting-edge programs in engineering-related fields: Civil Engineering Technology-Highway Technician, Electrical Power Engineering Technician, and Instrumentation & Controls Engineering Technology. Students learn in a hands-on environment using state-of-the-art equipment from instructors with a significant amount of industry experience in the fields they teach. Mid-State graduates have opportunities in a wide variety of careers, including AutoCAD/drafting technician, civil engineering technician, electrical and instrumentation technician, power plant operations supervisor, process control technician, programmable logic controller (PLC) technician, substation electrician, and survey technician.

“You absolutely do not need a four-year degree to start a career in engineering,” Kilgas said. “If you are looking for a high-pay, in-demand career with good stability, you can achieve that with a Civil Engineering Technology-Highway Technician, Electrical Power Engineering Technician, or Instrumentation & Controls Engineering Technology associate degree from Mid-State Technical College.”

For more information and to register for Engineering Day, contact Carrie Becker at 715.422.5400. If you are interested in any of Mid-State’s many other in-demand programs, call 888.575.MSTC, visit mstc.edu, or stop by a Mid-State location near you.