Dr. Patricia Terry, chair of the Richard J. Resch School of Engineering at UW-Green Bay, and Dr. Vallari Chandna, associate dean of the Cofrin School of Business at UWGB, join co-hosts Kate Bruns of Insight on Manufacturing and Ann Franz of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance on this week’s new episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast.
Terry and Chandna talk with Bruns and Franz about new degree programs launching at the university and why they’re important to helping meet future workforce needs in the region.
Following strong interest from area companies, the university decided to create a new standalone undergraduate degree in software engineering.
“Software engineering until now has been an emphasis within computer science,” Terry says. “But there’s a big regional industry push toward Industry 4.0,” which encompasses a range of digital technologies and robotics.
So the university also added emphases in emphases in cybersecurity, machine learning and AI, “all of which are very important for Industry 4.0,” Terry says. “In addition to that, we have a strong mechanical engineering program and faculty who do work in robotics.”
Having that standalone degree with all of these other components in place, “is going to give us students who are well-prepared to help industry meet their software needs in an ever-changing world,” she says.
While the program will teach the skills new workers need to know today, “they’re going to be able to adapt and change in a very rapidly changing world to help regional industries to move into the future,” Terry says.
Chandna is leading the launch of a new Masters of Supply Chain Management program starting this fall. The idea for developing the program had been discussed among university staff, but demand from local manufacturing leaders really helped bring it to fruition. Company leaders have been seeking a way to help fill key supply chain roles and also help team members grow into leadership positions.
“We definitely felt there was a need for that program,” Chandna says. “But that’s what we heard from industry too.”
The program is 100 percent online, allowing flexibility for current supply chain staff to upskill. “The courses and curriculum have all been designed based on feedback that we’ve got from industry,” Chandna says.
Both degree programs aim to not only help fill open roles but also helps keep talent local.
Listen to all of the insights from Chandna and Terry, including their best leadership insights, by downloading the full episode on Spreaker or anywhere you listen to podcasts. NEW Manufacturing Insights is produced by Woodward Community Media; new episodes are released on Thursdays.
Source: Podcast: How UW-Green Bay’s academic programs are evolving to meet the moment