KPU partners with Siemens Canada for New Mechatronics Program
The program, starting in 2017, will address the future of manufacturing in Canada
A new diploma program at KPU will address the future of Canadian manufacturing. As part of the Advanced Manufacturing Technician diploma program, which will be offered next fall, KPU has partnered with the Canadian subsidiary of multinational engineering and electronics giant Siemens.
Graduates of the program will have a broader understanding of all the various technical aspects of manufacturing, rather than learning about one particular subject.
“An advanced manufacturing technician from our program will have a broad set of skills from across the spectrum. It’s not going to be as narrowly focused [as other trades programs],” says Brian Haugen, Dean of Trades and Technology at KPU Cloverdale.
The new program looks at a relatively new approach to manufacturing called mechatronics. Mechatronics takes three engineering disciplines—electronics, mechanics, and programing—and combines them to work in a harmonised fashion.
The logic behind mechatronics is simple. In industry, mechanics, electronics and software all work together as a unit, so specialists in the field should have a strong understanding of all three.
“For years, engineering disciplines have been traditionally defined between electrical, mechanical, etcetera, and then software came in during the second part of the 20th century and they were still all working in silos,” says Dr. Tom Murad, head of Siemens Canada Engineering and Technology Academy. “The uniqueness of this new multi-discipline technology is that you have three different scientific fields working hand in hand together.”
While mechatronics is beginning to be adopted by Canadian industry, this highly efficient engineering technique has been well-established in Germany.
“We Germans are top in engineering, applying engineering, and teaching engineering,” says Dr. Murad. “So this program has been launched in Berlin more than 15 years and it’s a proven concept to teach mechatronics in Europe.”
KPU officials approached Siemens specifically due to their status as a leader in Canadian mechatronics. The program will be based on Siemens’ curriculum used in their Engineering and Technology Academy.
After completing KPU’s program, graduates will be able to gain global mechatronics certification through the Siemens program.
“Mechatronics is not all new to Canada. What’s new about what we are doing is actually bringing the Siemens approach and methodology to teaching mechatronics,” says Dr. Murad.
What gives this program value for graduates, according to Haugen, is the fact that grads will have a more diversified portfolio of skills than those from more specialised programs. According to Haugen, this will make grads highly employable, particularly with small to medium-sized companies.
“Small companies may not be able to afford someone to drive a forklift, someone to quickly bolt something together if it falls apart, or quickly check the programming on a conveyor belt,“ says Haugen. “We’re hoping that this program will create that broad spectrum person who can do all of that.”
Part of the idea for this program is aimed at addressing the growing technical skills gap in Canada. That is, as time goes on, there will be a growing gap in Canada between the number of qualified technicians in this area and need within the industry. The idea to partner with Siemens Canada came about when Haugen saw a presentation by the president of Siemens Canada and realised how the company’s approach to manufacturing fits with KPU’s polytechnic philosophy.
“[The Siemens Canada President] was speaking of the need for Canada to grow its technician skill base in these areas,” says Haugen. “He said that it’s a big need and if we don’t have enough people we will end up losing a competitive edge.”
