Program: 68100

The Engineering Technology Support Specialist Certificate prepares individuals for initial employment as engineering support specialists or engineering technicians in various specialized areas. Additionally, it provides supplemental training for persons previously or currently employed in these occupations. This certificate program is the core of the Engineering Process Technology degree program. Credits earned toward this certificate can also be applied to the Associate in Science in Engineering Technology degree.

This program focuses on broad, transferable skills and stresses acquisition of information and skills, as well as demonstration of the following elements of the Engineering Technology Program: production materials and processes, quality, computer-aided drafting, electronics, mechanics, instrumentation, and safety. The program technical skills standards align with those of the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC). The MSSC defines the information, skills, and abilities required of today’s frontline manufacturing workers. The curriculum provided within the certificate core courses prepares students for the MSSC Certified Production Technician examination.

Instead of teaching the courses through traditional lectures and laboratory sessions at scheduled times, all of the material is formatted into self-study modules, called “units” that contain both theory and hands-on components. Units provide information on significant applied engineering competencies, components, circuits, mechanisms, and equipment that are widely used in manufacturing facilities. Several units make up one course. 

The Engineering Technology lab and classroom facilities at the Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center in Bartow consist of high-quality laboratory equipment for numerous hands-on activities that develop the skills required to construct, operate, analyze, and program a wide range of circuits and equipment used in this field. Each student is assigned to a specific instructor. The instructor monitors the student’s progress, grades exams, and determines the final letter grade for each course completed. The assigned instructor also assists the student in selecting appropriate courses to progress through the program. Classes are scheduled during the fall, spring, and summer terms.