There are currently more open manufacturing jobs in Connecticut than there are skilled employees to fill them. Modern manufacturing is a field for hard-working and inventive thinkers. If you like working with your hands and have a passion for innovation, then a career in manufacturing may be perfect for you! But before diving into the field, it’s important to know your options for manufacturing schools – from machining to supply chain, quality management to production, there are many different paths and areas of study you can pursue. Not to mention, this growing industry is competitive, so it’s imperative to have the best preparation and education, to make sure you get the job.

Let’s explore the many different program and degree options offered at Goodwin College’s manufacturing and machining school in Connecticut.

A Career in Management

Godwin College’s Manufacturing Management bachelor’s degree program sets students up for a long and successful supervisory career. With hands-on learning and training, you will gain skills and knowledge in areas such as:

• Operations Management
• Manufacturing Supervision
• Lean Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Logistics
• Industrial safety
• Production Planning and Control
• Quality Management
• Team Dynamics
• Purchasing
• Customer Service

A great manufacturing school such as Goodwin College can help launch your career into several different directions. Some of the specific professions available to graduates with a Manufacturing Management degree include:

• Customer Service Representative
• Facilities Supervisor
• Field Service Representative
• First-Line Supervisor
• Human Resources Administrator
• Inspection Supervisor
• Inventory Manager
• Logistician
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Production Manager
• Purchasing Agent
• Quality Manager
• Safety Supervisor
• Shipping & Receiving Supervisor

One example of a potential field for grads is Industrial Production Management. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial production managers earn an average annual salary of $97, 140. A bachelor’s degree in manufacturing is a must in this field today.

Students who earn a bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Management at Goodwin College earn 121 college credits, as well as the opportunity to earn nationally-recognized, portable credentials from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) including: Certified Production Technician (CPT) credential; Green Manufacturing credential; and Certified Logistics Associate (CLA), leading to the Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credential.

Just like all of the degree programs at Goodwin College, the manufacturing courses are flexible to accommodate personal and professional obligations. Students have options between night and weekend courses, with online and in-classroom learning available.

Quality Management Systems

Another excellent program for those looking at manufacturing schools in Connecticut is the associate degree in Quality Management Systems at Goodwin College. In this program, students learn to navigate the following skills and knowledge:

• Manufacturing principles
• Quality inspection techniques
• Interpreting engineering blueprints
• Problem solving
• Measurement and test
• Calibration, lean manufacturing
• Statistical Process Control
• Teamwork
• Supplier quality control

In addition to the 61 college credits earned at Goodwin College, students in this program have the chance to earn a nationally-recognized credential from the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) as a Certified Production Technician (CPT).

Thanks to this degree, graduates may go on to the following careers:

• Calibration Technician
• Manufacturing Quality Inspector
• Materials Review Controller
• Quality Auditor
• Quality Consultant
• Quality Controller
• Quality Customer Service Representative
• Quality Supervisor
• Quality Technician
• Receiving Inspector
• Supplier Quality Assurance Supervisor

Click here to learn about the Quality Management Systems curriculum.

Associate Degree in Supply Chain and Logistics Management

Are you interested in the production of goods and materials? Supply chain management may be for you! Students who choose to earn an associate degree in Supply Chain and Logistics Management learn the basics of:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing planning and control systems
• Purchasing
• Physical distribution of goods to customers
• Lean manufacturing

Graduates from this degree will have the ability to move on to the careers such as:

• Cargo & Freight Manager
• First-Line Supervisor
• Inventory Manager
• Logistics Analyst
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Procurement Specialist
• Production Control Analyst
• Production Planner
• Purchasing Analyst
• Shipping & Receiving Analyst
• Storage & Distribution Manager
• Supply Chain Manager
• Warehouse Manager

Graduates of Goodwin’s Supply Chain & Logistics program leave fully prepared to earn nationally recognized, portable credentials from the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) manufacturing areas (CPT, CLT).

CNC Machining

The fast-growing field of CNC Machining offers an exciting, hands-on career. Students in Connecticut can take their pick between a flexible Associate Degree and certificate-level programs at Goodwin College.  In each level program, students can expect to gain hands-on training on state-of-the-art machinery. They can also expect to gain a working knowledge of manufacturing processes, materials, and manufacturing mathematics. Students also acquire valuable manufacturing skills in technical drawing, specifications, and computer-aided machining.

Upon successfully completing the certificate or AS in CNC Machining program at Goodwin, students are well-prepared to pursue a National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) credential as a CNC operator. Graduates of Goodwin’s CNC Machining training have gone on to the following careers:

• CNC Machine Programming
• CNC Machine Set-up
• CNC Machinist (Lathe and Mill)
• CNC Operator (Lathe and Mill)
• Manual Machine Operator

Manufacturing and Production Program

Unlike other manufacturing schools, Goodwin College offers hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities. This gives students the advantage of learning more about the cutting edge field they are about to break into! Courses are taught through a combination of interactive virtual computer simulation, group exercises, and lectures. Forget about the dull, boring classes that put you to sleep at your notebook.

After graduation from our Manufacturing and Production program, you will be prepared to test as a Certified Production Technician, Certified Logistics Technician, and CNC Operator — respected credentials in the manufacturing industry. Along the way, you will also earn 18 college credits that can be applied toward an associate and bachelor’s degree at Goodwin College.

Certificate in CNC Machining, Metrology, & Manufacturing Technology

Hard-working, driven students may want to consider this accelerated, 22 1/2 week manufacturing program. Companies across Connecticut are looking for well-trained industry pros – and are in immediate need! By pursuing this 37-credit accelerated manufacturing program, you will be ready to join the workforce fast!

Goodwin College has teamed up with Connecticut manufacturers to create a program that is shorter and less expensive for those looking to jump into the industry. And thanks to that partnership, you may be able to land an internship, scholarship, and even job placement with said companies!

This program is open enrollment and there are no wait lists – meaning you can jump into the program, earn your certificate, and get going on your future career right away. Click here for more information on this accelerated program, such as the curriculum.

Certified Production Technician (CPT) Training

The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) certification is considered the gold standard for front-line manufacturers and logistics workers. Through this CPT training program, students gain skills and knowledge needed for the manufacturing field. The nationally-recognized certification also increases your value and expands your opportunities in the industry!

Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) Training

The introductory logistics classes help students learn the basic concepts of product distribution and the terminology used in the logistics field. Students learn:

• The process of planning effective product distribution
• Methods of transportation
• Traffic management techniques
• Inventory control
• Protective packaging
• Customer service

In Goodwin’s CLT training program, you can expect to learn through lecture, group work, online simulation, and programming.

Green Manufacturing 

The world is going green – and students interested in manufacturing should, too! This Goodwin course covers green technologies and green jobs in the industry, teaching students the skills needed to preserve and restore environmental quality. Students will develop the skills necessary to preserve and restore environmental quality. Get the knowledge for working with local, sustainable products and equipment to be more competitive in this modern industry. In the green manufacturing course, students will learn in lecture, group work, online simulation and programming.

Students who successfully complete the module will earn their Green Manufacturing credential from MSSC. Earning the Green credential allows the award of 3 college credits to be applied to an associate degree in Business Administration, Quality Management Systems, and Supply Chain and Logistics Management, or a bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Management.

Goodwin College offers the best options for students interested in the manufacturing field. If you’ve been looking for a manufacturing school in Connecticut, get even more information online or call 1-800-889-3282.