2 minute read
Publication Sneak Peek
The Cutting Edge
This segment features content from other AAEA publications. The Cutting Edge is a monthly publication available to AACTEA members. The following excerpt comes from the June 2022 issue.
AACTEA and AAEA Tour Saline County CTC
Educators representing AACTEA and AAEA recently toured the Saline County Career Technical Campus. The Center, which opened in August 2021, is located along the I-30 frontage road in Benton and serves the six (6) Saline County school districts and beyond. The facility offers opportunities for students to learn a variety of specialized trades. Areas of study include automotive technology, welding, construction technology, manufacturing, HVAC, cybersecurity, health sciences, information technology, and more.
Upon graduation, students receive the certification needed to begin a promising new career. Students will not only earn technical certifications and hands-on experience, but also college hours through educational partner Arkansas State University Three Rivers. The Center served 400+ students in their first year of operation and is looking to increase this number in the coming years.
Carroll County Connect 4 Program Receives Grant for CNC Expansion
Students interested in machining and computer numeric control fields at Connect Four in Berryville will have a shot at getting a boost as they start their careers thanks to a $12,000 grant the program received last month from the Gene Haas Foundation. The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999 by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation Inc., to support the needs of the local community through grants that support manufacturing training programs like Connect 4. The grant money can be used by C4 in a variety of ways as long as that use pertains to the CNC/machining field. C4 students are already getting basic training in CNC operation, but the grant will enable the program to greatly expand on the training components.
The four-year-old Connect Four program — or C4 — offers junior and senior students from the Berryville, Eureka Springs and Green Forest school districts the opportunity to pursue a technical education during the school day. The program is housed in the Carroll County Career Center, formerly the Berryville Readiness Center, and offers instruction in a number of disciplines with an eye toward industrial maintenance, machining, welding, robotics and electrical work, providing students with a cross-curricular background in different trades.
