VGCC names head of new Mechatronics program
Keith Shearon of Youngsville has been named to lead the new Mechatronics Engineering Technology program at Vance-Granville Community College. Shearon brings decades of industry experience in manufacturing and electronics to the program and his students.
Shearon begins teaching the first two courses offered as part of the two-year Mechatronics degree, “Circuit Analysis” and “Introduction to Automation,” on Sept. 16. The new program is based at VGCC’s South Campus , located between Butner and Creedmoor.
The Mechatronics Engineering Technology curriculum provides training needed for highly-skilled jobs in advanced manufacturing, with a unique combination of mechanical engineering, electronics and computer technology.
Shearon, who was born and raised in Louisburg, is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he was trained in electronics and hydraulic systems as a RADAR technician. He briefly attended VGCC after his military service. Shearon went on to earn a certificate in marketing from UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from North Carolina State University. He also completed industry training in change acceleration and Lean Six Sigma (“Black Belt” level).
Shearon’s career has included more than 20 years working in multiple roles for one of the world’s largest manufacturers of batteries, including as a technician, an engineering manager and an electronics training instructor. He also served for several years as the director of quality control for a communications equipment manufacturer. For the past three years, Shearon has been a product and process designer, consulting with several different companies, and he holds two product design patents.
“Keith’s varied background in industrial design, engineering, production and technology makes him well-suited to the task of launching the Mechatronics program and preparing students for careers in today’s advanced manufacturing environment,” said Wesley Williams, VGCC’s Applied Technologies department chair.
Shearon’s students in Mechatronics will learn to use basic engineering principles and technical skills in developing and testing automated, servo-mechanical, and other electromechanical systems. They will receive instruction in prototype testing, manufacturing and operational testing, systems analysis and maintenance procedures. In addition to general education courses (many of which are available both online and on-campus), Mechatronics students will take courses in subjects including automation, electricity, electronics, computer aided design (CAD) and hydraulics.
Some Mechatronics courses will be offered during the evening, for the convenience of students who already work in the industry. Already, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions (Bandag) of Oxford is sending employees to the program. Other local employers who are partnering with the VGCC Mechatronics Engineering Technology program include Altec Industries of Creedmoor; Glen Raven, Inc. of Norlina; Iams of Henderson; and Ardagh (Saint-Gobain Containers) of Henderson. More industries may become involved with the program in the future.
“I think the Mechatronics program will be very important to many of our local industries who face challenges in finding skilled workers to fill positions in industrial maintenance and manufacturing,” said Sara Lloyd, VGCC’s director of customized training . “We look forward to continuing our partnership with our area industries by listening to their needs and providing workforce development solutions.”
The program is funded in part by a $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor . The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant is the single largest competitive grant award received in VGCC’s history.
“We look forward to working with Keith and supporting our students in Mechatronics,” said Kenneth Wilson, VGCC’s project manager for the TAACCCT Grant . Along with Welding Technology , Mechatronics is one of two programs at VGCC approved by the Department of Labor for TAACCCT funding. “Our Academic and Career Coaches, Zane Styers and Tina Johnson, and I are here to help eligible students gain the skills they need to get back into the workforce,” Wilson added.
For more information about enrolling in Mechatronics , contact Keith Shearon at shearonj@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3541 .
Above: VGCC Mechatronics Engineering Technology Program Head/instructor Keith Shearon is seen here with a hydraulic trainer at the college’s South Campus. (VGCC photo)
