Manufacturing students at Three Rivers College have a new place in Poplar Bluff to hone their skills in their chosen field.
TRC recently opened its fourth simulation lab for manufacturing students in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park, which is an ideal location for students working in the area to stop by before or after work and complete their assignments.
“Whether students are taking workforce development classes or pursuing a two-year associate of applied science degree, we want to make it easy for them to do well and advance their careers,” said Will Cooper, department chair of Career Studies and Workforce Development at TRC.
The new lab features a variety of tools and training equipment, including robotics, motor drive, residential and commercial wiring, motor controls and relays, and programmable logic controllers. With Three Rivers offering many mechanical-minded programs, such as in the areas of construction, electrical and advanced automation, the tools in the lab will give students hands-on training with automated equipment needed to master new skills in manufacturing.
“Learning new skills is a great way to move up in your current job or qualify for a new one,” said Greg Watts, who is the lead instructional assistant at the lab. “We want people to know that you can learn new things, and we’re here to help you.”
Laptops, internet service and desks are also available at the lab for students who need them. The new facility also has flexible hours to make it easier for working students.
In addition to the new lab in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park, TRC has other simulation labs on its main campus in Poplar Bluff and also at its locations in Dexter and Sikeston. All four labs have similar, but not identical, equipment, Cooper said.
“There are standard trainers that all the labs have,” Cooper said. “Some of the more specialized trainers are moved between the labs, depending on the need for that area. The Poplar Bluff Three Rivers (main) campus has had a lab the longest.”
The new lab was in the works for a “little over a year” and was made possible through a grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
“The lab at the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park has over $600,000 total invested,” Cooper said. “Just under $400,000 of this was funded a Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.”
Cooper said TRC is hoping the new lab will serve at least 150 students annually.