For the City Times

In celebration of National Engineering Week, the Technical & Industrial Division at Mid-State Technical College is hosting Engineering Day from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Participants will explore high-demand engineering careers through a series of three 60- to 90-minute activities associated with Mid-State’s three engineering-related programs. They will also hear from industry experts about related career opportunities and scholarships. High school students throughout central Wisconsin are invited as well as those in the general public interested in learning more about and possibly pursuing these careers.

Engineering Day is being held at Mid-State’s Wisconsin Rapids campus (500 32nd St. North). Participants are asked to register in advance. High school counselors, teachers, and administrators are also invited to make registration arrangements for groups.

Gary Kilgas, Mid-State’s associate dean of Technical & Industrial programs, notes that graduates from Mid-State programs associated with the engineering field continue to be in extremely high demand.

“Engineers nationally are employed at a 98 percent rate, and 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 significant industry experience in the fields they teach.

Graduates from these programs 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.

“Contrary to common belief, you do not need a four-year degree to start your career in engineering,” said Kilgas. “Earning an associate degree from Mid-State is one of the quickest and most cost-effective paths into these high-paying, stable and in-demand careers.”

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 or visit www.mstc.edu.