South Carolina Manufacturing Facility Expands Near Greenville
You Could Prepare for One of the 1,000 New Jobs by Earning a Mechatronics Degree at ECPI University’s Nearby Greenville Campus
Still in the midst of a $1 billion expansion, BMW group has just announced it is going increase its investment by an additional $800 million at the Spartanburg County, South Carolina advanced manufacturing facility. In a news article published by GSA Business Report, it was revealed this new latest expansion will produce about 1,000 new jobs by 2021, increasing the total workforce to more than 10,000.
To date, BMW has invested approximately $8 billion in its South Carolina production facility, and is currently preparing to open a new production line in 2018 for its new X7 model. Producing more than 411,000 vehicles in 2016, this manufacturing facility is the largest in the BMW chain, with more than 70 percent of its vehicles exported to more than 140 countries.
“The presence of this company has changed everything in the trajectory and the future of our state,” says South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. A number of automotive parts companies that supply BMW have also opened facilities of their own in South Carolina since the BMW operation first went on line 25 years ago. In fact, many economic development professionals will tell you that this plant sparked the rebirth of manufacturing in South Carolina.
Yes, BMW did change things. Yet, it wasn’t so much what the company did, but rather, how it did it. BMW was among the pioneering manufacturers that first used advanced automation and robotics to increase quality and decrease cost. While that did result in fewer employees, there was still plenty of work left for humans – and that work called for people with very specific skills in computers, electronics, and mechanical engineering.
While the technology has evolved since BMW first opened its South Carolina facility, it’s still looking for people with those same skill sets. Among its current workforce, you’ll find a large number of people who developed their skills at ECPI University at its nearby Greenville, South Carolina campus. There, we offer a program called Mechatronics, which is directly aligned to the needs of advanced manufacturing. Core areas of study include:
- Programmable Controllers
- Hydraulics and Pneumatics
- Testing and measuring instruments.
- Computer Hardware and Software
- Applied Mechanics
- Materials Science
- Digital Electronics and Communications
- Automation and Control Systems
- Computer Programming and Networks
- Microcontrollers
Here’s the best part – you can learn about all of this in an environment that’s probably a lot different than what you experienced last time you were in school. At ECPI University, you apply what you learn in a hands-on environment.
Plus, you can complete your program much faster than you might expect. Through our year-round, accelerated schedule, you can earn your Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering Technology with a concentration in Mechatronics in as little as 2.5 years!
Want to learn more? Take a moment and connect with a helpful admission advisor at the Greenville, South Carolina campus. They will be happy to help you explore all of your options.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Mechatronics - Bachelor’s
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