Calhoun Community College will launch a systems engineering technology program this fall, the first of its kind in the nation.
Students will learn skills to support large-scale computer modeling programs such as those used by NASA. The program will concentrate on the computer programming and database skills needed for such work.
Calhoun received a $500,000 award from the Department of Defense to develop the curriculum for the program. That award is part of a five-year, $9.9 million grant to support the program, which has been developed by Calhoun and the Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Huntsville’s Victory Solutions and the new Institute for Digital Engineering Advancement.
Students may work toward an associate of applied science degree and a short-term certificate, plus internship opportunities with high-tech companies.
“It’s imperative, on both economic and national security grounds, that we identify and achieve efficiency gains in our engineering and product development processes,” said James Payne, who is dean of business and CIS at Calhoun. “People looking to start a technical career in the Huntsville area will find this program to be a promising addition to the opportunities Calhoun already offers. We look forward to building this program from the ground up and establishing it as a nationwide standard.”
Calhoun is now accepting its first class of students for the program. More information is available at Calhoun.edu/SET.
