Press Release
Issued By Defense Metals Technology Center (DMTC)
January 9, 2008
For Immediate Release
DMTC and Stark State College of Technology (SSCT) Announce Strategic Metals Co-op Program
North Canton, Ohio — On Wednesday, January 9, in a Regional Briefing on the DMTC sponsored by the Greater Akron Chamber, Charles Clark, Executive Director of the DMTC, announced the creation of a new Co-Op program in conjunction with Stark State College.
The co-op program funded by the DMTC will allow selected advanced students from SSCT with CAD and metals machining training, to spend a semester in Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. There, the students will work in the Prototype Fabrication Laboratory of the U.S. Army - Armament Research, Development & Engineering Center (ARDEC), learning the practical application of their academic training and assisting with existing Army projects particularly in the machining and fabrication of titanium.
From Left to Right: Mr. Ken Engel (CAD Co-op - Stark State College of Technology), Dr. John O'Donnell (President - Stark State College of Technology), Mr. Charles D. Clark (Executive Director - Defense Metals Technology Center), Mr. David Schrader (CAD Co-op - Stark State College of Technology) and Mr. Frank Fuller (Department Chair/Instructor, Engineering Technology - Stark State College of Technology)
Ohio Congressman Ralph Regula (R-Ohio, 16th), was instrumental in the establishment of the DMTC last year, with a preliminary mission to connect the NE Ohio metals industry and academia with the strategic metals needs of the Department of Defense. A principal goal is effecting a lower cost-effective access to critical metals used in military hardware.
Congressman Regula praised the DMTC and SSCT for so promptly initiating this co-op program. "I want the success of this first program to spawn additional workforce training programs at SSCT in titanium machining and welding." Regula added, "As students complete these programs, they will greatly improve our local talent pool available to our specialty metals industries."
From Left to Right: Mr. Frank Fuller (Department Chair/Instructor, Engineering Technology - Stark State College of Technology), Mr. Charles D. Clark (Executive Director - Defense Metals Technology Center), Mr. David Schrader (CAD Co-op - Stark State College of Technology), Mr. Ken Engel (CAD Co-op - Stark State College of Technology), Dr. John O'Donnell (President - Stark State College of Technology), Mr. Donald Ball (Interim Dean, Information Technology and Engineering Technology - Stark State College of Technology) and Dr. Peter K. Kropp, P.E. (Interim, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Corporate and Community Services)
In announcing the creation of the co-op program, Mr. Clark introduced the two Stark State College inaugural recipients, who reported to Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey on Monday, January 14th.
Kenneth Engel, Jr. of Canton, Ohio and David Schrader, Jr. of Alliance, Ohio will spend their next semester (January-May 2008) in Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey at the ARDEC's Virtual Prototype Lab using their CAD experience and titanium knowledge researching and developing existing US Army projects. Both Messrs. Engel and Schrader met certain academic, work ethic and character qualifications required by the sponsors.
DMTC subsidy of the co-op program for the students includes: 12 paid SSCT credit hours of tuition/fees and books, free lodging at the arsenal, travel reimbursement, a weekly monetary stipend and a laptop computer.
This co-op program, if successful, will be expanded to six students who will be selected next September.
For more information, please contact:
Charlie Clark
330-305-6605
330-305-6622 (fax)
cclark@defensemetals.org