Production Engineering

Year one introduces students to the foundational skills of machining, manufacturing, engineering, and production through classroom instruction and extensive supervised lab work. The program is open to rising 10th- and 11th-grade students who are prepared to make a two-year commitment.

Students begin by learning shop safety, blueprint reading, technical math, precision measurement, layout, materials, and the proper use of tools and equipment.

Hands-on instruction includes operating manual lathes, mills, and other production machines. Students apply math, science, and engineering principles to projects that require close tolerances, accurate measurements, and careful attention to detail.

As students progress through Production Engineering 2, instruction expands into CNC programming and operations while introducing the engineering process of moving a design from concept to production.

Students are challenged to think like engineers by applying creativity, analysis, precision, and teamwork to machining and production problems. This approach connects hands-on technical skills with the problem-solving expected in advanced manufacturing workplaces and postsecondary education.

By the end of year one, students may have opportunities to earn OSHA 10-Hour, Stop the Bleed, YouScience Entrepreneurship, and Snap-on/NC3 Precision Measurement certifications while gaining experience with industry-standard software and equipment.

Year two challenges students to apply and expand the skills developed during their first year while working toward advanced certifications and industry-level expectations. Instruction moves beyond foundational machining into advanced CNC operations, multi-axis machining, precision measurement, computer-aided design, and engineering-based production projects.

Students focus on connecting digital designs with physical production, maintaining close tolerances, improving manufacturing processes, and producing accurate, high-quality work. They also develop the leadership, communication, organization, and teamwork skills expected in a professional manufacturing environment.

Students in Production Engineering 3 and 4 complete increasingly complex projects that reflect real-world manufacturing demands. Instruction includes process improvement, materials analysis, quality control, close-tolerance machining, and the use of software to connect engineering designs with production processes.

Students are expected to demonstrate technical skill, sound decision-making, teamwork, and close attention to detail while completing projects according to established safety procedures and production standards.

Work-based learning may allow eligible students to apply their classroom and lab instruction with local manufacturers and industry partners. These experiences provide valuable on-the-job training, expose students to professional workplace expectations, and help them build relationships with employers.

Students may also prepare for credentials such as Titans of CNC Expert and Digital Multimeter Certification 525. Graduates leave with technical training that can support entry-level employment, apprenticeships, employer-based training, technical college programs, and continued study in engineering or advanced manufacturing.