Students Offered Debt-Free Path To High-Paying Manufacturing Jobs

INDIANAPOLIS - Oct. 7, 2015 - PRLog -- Indianapolis-based technology firm 180 Skills today launched an innovative, boot camp-style, online school that enables students to go from the street to a manufacturing career in four months or less. The new online school, 180 Skills Maker (http://www.180skillsmaker.com), brings to the education market a proven, low-cost, high-value education option for students looking for a debt-free path to high-paying manufacturing jobs.

Shaking it up

“We are changing higher education by offering a debt-free path,” CEO Joe Kitterman said. “An average 180 Skills Maker graduate will spend less than $2,500 and a land high-paying career at great manufacturing companies.”

Building upon success

Working over the past five years with innovative community and technical college partners, 180 Skills has delivered more than 110,000 credit hours of content with graduation and placement rates that are at or above 90 percent. Over 5,000 graduates of 180 Skills programs work at companies like the Boeing Company, Honda Aircraft Company, Triumph Group, Bombardier and over 100 other hiring companies. The launch of 180 Skills Maker makes these academic programs available to the public worldwide.

Filling the Education Gap

According to the Manufacturing Institute, 2 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled over the next 10 years. “Public education doesn’t have the capacity to meet this demand. We are prepared to fill the education gap with high-quality, low-cost accelerated education that leads to employment,” Kitterman said.

Filling the Skills Gap

180 Skills Maker offers over 540 competency-based skills courses, 20 Skills Certificate programs and 16 Career Degree programs. Programs of study include Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Safety, CNC Machining, Mechatronics, Industrial Automation, Six Sigma, Nondestructive Examination and Aerospace Manufacturing. All of the courseware is aligned to industry recognized credentials. 180 Skills Maker is also accredited by the state of Indiana’s Office of Career and Technical Schools. With tuition as low as $20 per course, students can pay-as-they-go, ensuring manageable costs.

Free enrollment

To show the effectiveness of 180 Skills Maker’s courses, the school is offering free enrollment for a limited time in their Manufacturing and Safety Skills Certificate Programs.

These courses are aligned with OSHA 10 and MSSC certifications and valued at over $1,000.

“We are committed to demonstrating the effectiveness of these programs by giving people a chance to learn for free.” Kitterman said.

Employer partnerships

Another innovative aspect of the 180 Skills Maker model is their student-employer relationships. The school has a growing a list of employer partners who commit to interviewing graduates. “We are connecting graduates to employers,” Kitterman said. “Any employer seeking highly-skilled, entry-level talent can sign up to be an employer partner. With no fees, it’s a no-risk, high-value opportunity for employers. “

The model is ideal for high school graduates who don’t want college debt, college graduates who lack sufficient skills to get employment, transitioning veterans, and adults who want to change career paths.

“The doors to 180 Skills Maker are open to all individuals with a desire to change their lives,” Kitterman said.

About 180 Skills

Founded in 2009, 180 Skills, LLC is an online technical education company that delivers education globally to Universities, Community and Technical Colleges, corporations and individuals. Learn more at www.180skillsmaker.com.

More information about the Skills Gap is available in the Manufacturing Institute’s report, “The skills gap in U.S. manufacturing, 2015 and beyond.” The report is available here. (http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/~/media/827DBC76...)