Food-Automation Training Program Is In Full Swing At The College Of Southern Idaho
By Melissa Lind, contributing writer
Computers and Robots were once seen as a threat to manufacturing, including in the food industry, with many fearing jobs would be lost. It is true that automation has eliminated some jobs involving unskilled labor, but many of these jobs have been replaced with higher-paying jobs requiring the knowledge of automated equipment.
As the food industry shifts from manual processes to automation, skilled workers are in high demand. In each plant, experts who understand the equipment are needed to not only operate the systems, but also to maintain, adjust, and repair equipment. These employees, tasked with efficient operation of the automation equipment, need training and education. One program is already meeting the needs of the food industry in Idaho’s Magic Valley.
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Instructors at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) are working with partners in the food industry to bring training to the labor pool. Rather than importing skilled workers from out of state, the College hopes to develop the talent they already have. It also hopes to attract students from outside of the region. CSI currently has offerings in the professional and technical arena with its food-processing lab and an automation lab. This was built in the $8.5 million Applied Technology and Innovation Center, covering 42,000 square feet. The center was built, in part, with a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
In the courses currently offered, students learn equipment operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting skills in a hands-on environment. This allows for training to take place outside of on-the-job scenario where a mistake or slow process can result in shutting down of operation, resulting in lost productivity. When students leave the program, they already have the skills needed to become a valuable employee at a number of food facilities.
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CSI competes for funding from work force investment programs along with other community colleges throughout the nation, but believes that enhanced training courses provided for the food industry will garner the additional attention needed to secure industry finding. By increasing the skilled labor pool, the food industry may shy away from the notion that automation and technology are eliminating jobs.