Mechatronics Academy celebrated its five-year anniversary with a formal renewal of the program.
Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations, Hamilton County Schools and Chattanooga State Community College renewed the joint venture for another five years by signing a memorandum of understanding. The MOU is effective through June 2026.
Mechatronics Academy launched in 2016 as a pilot with four schools and 26 students. Since 2017, program availability has expanded to include all rising juniors and seniors in Hamilton County’s public schools.
The most recent graduating class was comprised of students from Central, East Hamilton, Hixson, Howard, Ooltewah and Tyner Academy high schools. This year marked the academy’s fourth graduating class.
The program’s curriculum has evolved in recent years with the introduction of FANUC robotics training, 3D printing and plasma-cutting technology. This education is offered in conjunction with other classes over a two-year period.
Graduates of the program are prepared to enter industrial and technical career paths, including those in the field of mechatronics (the engineering of electrical and mechanical systems), welding, engineering and automotive.
Mechatronics Academy students graduate from their local high school having earned up to 36 hours of college credit toward an A.A.S. Engineering Systems Technology degree. Students also have the opportunity to earn certification through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Hamilton County Schools administers the Mechatronics Academy, with educators Samuel Dean and Jacqueline Myers working on-site at Volkswagen Academy.
More than 60 students have graduated from Mechatronics Academy to date. Each cohort has a capacity for 24 students per grade level. Due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements, the program is currently accepting 13 students per grade level.
The enrollment period begins each spring. There is a waitlist for the 2021-22 school year. Information.
Mechatronics Academy students attend classes at Volkswagen Academy, located on the Volkswagen Chattanooga campus, five days a week. They remain enrolled at their home school and are able to participate in clubs, sports and other activities.
To be eligible for the program, students must be rising juniors or seniors at a Hamilton County public school with a minimum GPA of 2.0 and college-ready scores on the ACCUPLACER exam. The final cohort is selected based on interviews with the on-site educators, which evaluate academic performance as well as work ethic and interest in the field of mechatronics.
Many Mechatronics Academy join Volkswagen’s Robotronics Technology Expert apprenticeship program after graduation. Of the 2021 graduating class, 55% plan to join the Volkswagen RTE apprenticeship this fall.
Source: Hamilton County Schools