How Southeastern Louisiana University’s Technical Tools and Industrial Partnerships are Helping STEM Students Become “Real-World Ready”

Demand for skilled workers in STEM careers is increasing, but are there enough graduating students prepared to meet this need? 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations in the STEM field are expected to grow 8.0 percent by 2029 (from 2019), compared with 3.7 percent for all careers. Because of this, it is increasingly essential for colleges and universities to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to fill and thrive in these positions. 

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Industrial and Engineering Technology (IET) Department has had noticeable success with its STEM students for many years. To learn more, we recently sat down with members of the IET faculty. We heard about how they’ve found success in helping their students become “real-world ready” through facility improvements, industrial partnerships, valuable internships, and more.

What follows is information provided to us by the university’s Jared Reno, Undergraduate Coordinator of the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology, and Dr. Emre Bahadir, Assistant Professor of Industrial Technology. We thank them for sharing their time and expertise with us. 

Certifications are the Pathway to Success

At the center of SELU’s IET curriculum are industrial certifications and a group of industrial partners who review and suggest changes on a yearly basis. When classes are based on the same certifications necessary for their field of study and wanted by these employers, students are even more prepared to face the most relevant challenges and projects related to their career. 

For example, students taking Intro to Drafting should be able to pass the General ADDA Certification and AutoDesk’s AutoCAD Certification by the end of the semester. Likewise, students in the Welding Technology program will be equipped to pass the American Welding Society’s Welding Inspector or Supervisor Certification to become a certified welding inspector or supervisor by the time they graduate. 

As students begin their careers, they will have already completed much of their required training and have put in the required time to meet the minimum requirements for the certification. SELU students know what they need to do and are prepared for promising professions upon graduation.

To learn more about the technical training tools we offer, contact us here! 

The Importance of Internships

At Southeastern Louisiana University, many STEM students work while they attend school. The vast majority of these students work internships relevant to their field of study and are granted school credit for doing so. Within the IET department, students are allowed up to 9 credit hours of schooling for working relevant internships. 

The IET Department has several local industrial partners who are gracious enough to provide internships for students on a regular basis. Although internships are not required, the IET Department works with local industry partners to provide learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. Students are frequently brought to facilities for tours and demos, industry leaders come to campus for lunch and learns, as well as, meet and greets. But by far, internships are the most crucial to a student’s learning and are heavily encouraged and promoted by faculty members throughout the semester. This allows students the opportunity to develop and sharpen their technical skills. 

As a result, the IET Department has one of the highest job placement rates at the university. Most of the students already have a full-time job lined up before they even graduate, and students often go straight from being interns into full-time employees. 

Unveiling a State-of-the-Art Facility

Not only has the department provided its students with a curriculum to set them up for success, but the university has provided the space for them to thrive. Recently, the IET Department and its students were able to move into a new building on campus that included more research space, classroom space, tooling and equipment, and new state-of-the-art technologies.

While this addition had been in the works for over 30 years, roadblock after roadblock delayed construction. Many of the industrial partners working with SELU’s STEM students heard about this need and offered their support. Through the generous donations of several industrial partners, the new facility finally came to be in 2017. 

Before this facility was completed, some courses were meeting in classrooms that were simply too small and outdated. Due to the sheer nature of industrial and engineering technology,  projects and the equipment needed to undertake them take up a significant amount of space. So, courses and class sizes were sometimes limited, hindering student learning. 

This new facility opened the door for rapid improvements to the IET curriculum. Students and faculty now have room for large-scale research projects, access to industry-standard equipment, state-of-the-art labs, and new and emerging technology. These factors allowed for curriculum improvement across the board but most notably the Drafting and Design program, which went under a major course overhaul in 2019. Three new courses were developed, implemented, and improved upon. In addition,  three other classes that are still being taught had major updates to  their curriculum. All in the aim to keep the students “Real World Ready” able to handle the ever-advancing world of technology, engineering, drafting, and graphics. 

In the time following the facility’s completion, the IET Department has seen more students apply, which has, in turn, led to additional classes and additional teachers. New resources and learning opportunities have proven to be exceptionally popular, as feedback from the students has been very positive. Local businesses are also coming to these new classrooms to give lectures, demos, host lunch and learns, and give valuable feedback on student research projects. It is the support given by these industry partners that are helping the department thrive. 

Industrial partnerships have been invaluable to the IET Department. More than 43 companies have partnered with the department to hire graduates, provide internships and apprenticeships, as well as give valuable feedback to faculty and students on various research projects.  The collaboration with the IET Department and these industrial partners allow students to develop connections and provide support for the ever-growing program. These partnerships have been essential in ensuring that students are, again, “Real-World-Ready” upon graduation. 

Showing Students What’s Possible With STEM Education

Many universities face challenges when recruiting students to certain STEM programs. Because of the lack of knowledge and experience, these incoming young scholars have difficulty within these disciplines. Most K-12 education curricula include science and math in every grade, but they often do not introduce students to engineering or computer science programs like; AutoCAD, MatLab, Python, Java, Solidworks, Premavara, etc. 

When students do not know what to expect in these programs, they are less likely to apply. When they are exposed early on and have an expectation of the field, they end up being more excited about STEM, doing much better in the courses, and ultimately remain in the program. So, to mitigate these types of losses, SELU’s Industrial and Engineering Technology Department offers training and demos to high school students in the surrounding areas. 

Over the past several years, SELU has prioritized building relationships with district schools, teachers, and teams to support awareness. Such connections help prepare students, and it aids in the professional development of teachers. 

Additional opportunities for both high school students and teachers have been facilitated by Wendy Conarro, Director of the Northshore Regional STEM Center. In her previous role as Director of the Southeastern STILE/GEAR UP program, a partnership between Southeastern College of Science & Technology and the Industrial & Engineering Technology Department, Ms. Conarro and the program have been integral in helping prepare students with the knowledge of what’s possible through STEM education at SELU.

Last year, by reaching out to schools in the area, the Upward Bound program helped connect the university with 28 students who had little to no experience in 3D printing. Those students attended a summer camp, at the end of which, each student brought home something they created through 3D printing. 

SELU has also launched nine regional STEM centers. These programs work with stakeholders to develop strategic plans to get more people into the STEM workforce.

The Value of Technical Training Tools

Technical Training Aids and SELU have been partnering for years to provide STEM students with the tools and equipment they need to get career-relevant hands-on experience. 

In addition to the new building, the 3D printing equipment had been one of the biggest draws in reaching new students. More and more companies are purchasing 3D printers to use in their facility, such as manufacturing facilities, engineering firms, repair shops, e-commerce distribution centers, and foodservice companies. The addition of 3D printers allows companies the ability to eliminate downtime for costly repairs of simple parts and can help with visualizing new designs and concepts. Because of these factors,every one of these industries are looking for employees with 3D printing and modeling experience. 

Several years ago, the school acquired its first 3D printer, a Makerbot Z18. Since then, the school has procured thirteen 3D printers ranging from multiple FDM printers to a handful of SLA printers to even a DMLS printer. Students start getting hands-on experience with these 3D printers starting their freshman year. Many even get industrial certifications for operating, maintenance, and maintaining 3D printers.

Such experience is proving invaluable, as more and more companies are using 3D printers and looking for prospective employees with 3D printing and modeling experience.  

We are thrilled to hear about the support that SELU is providing their STEM programs and the success the school, faculty, and students have seen as a result. We look forward to the growth and achievement the future holds! 

If you are interested in 3D printers for your school and students, contact us here! 

If you are interested in 3D printers for your school and students, contact us here!