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Mechatronics skills gap to be addressed?

Purdue aims to launch a packaging machinery-focused mechatronics engineering technology program at its Hammond, IN, campus.

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The skills gap between U.S. and European packaging automation curricula was the topic discussed at a Pack Expo Las Vegas conference session called “Automation skills training in Germany: are we missing ‘Das Boot?’” The session speaker was Elau marketer John Kowal. The session included a surprise announcement by Purdue University Calumet of the Purdue University system that it will offer North America’s first comprehensive, packaging machinery-focused mechatronics engineering technology program.

Kowal’s presentation, co-authored by Elau training manager Rainer Beudert, showed several technical universities in Germany offering mechatronics programs. In contrast, most U.S. engineering schools still divide electrical/electronic, computer science, and mechanical disciplines into separate programs.

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