Salina Area Technical College's new Industrial Maintenance and Automation program

Salina Area Technical College broke ground a new Industrial Maintenance and Automation program, March 28, 2024. The project is supported by $90k of County’s ARPA funds and additional grants nearing $3M, to address the growing need for skilled workers in automated manufacturing. The program, which was kickstarted with a $1.8 million grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce, is set to be housed in a 15,000-square-foot facility, the college's first new building in two decades. Located at the intersection of Scanlan Ave. and Derussy Road, the space will include modern classrooms, workshops, and a multi-use area for community engagement. Designed to prepare students to maintain and program advanced robotics, the initiative is a response to the increasing shift towards automation and the looming skills gap left by the retiring baby boomer generation. College officials predict the facility will be completed within 12 to 14 months, enhancing their capacity to serve a record number of enrollments and empower students with forward-thinking, industry-relevant skills.