What does it take to build a first-of-its kind college degree program designed specifically for the demands of modern manufacturing? UW-Stout Chancellor Katherine Frank and Professor David Ding, director of the university’s Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering, tackle that question with host Matt Kirchner on The TechEd Podcast.
In this episode, “Groundbreaking Automation Leadership Degree is a Fast Track to Industry 4.0,” the conversation centers on the new Automation Leadership degree. The first program of its kind in the United States, the Automation Leadership degree was built to give students both the technical know-how and the business skills needed to lead a company through digital transformation.
The episode explores how the program blends hands-on training in robotics, PLCs, CNC, control systems, sensors and other industrial technologies with coursework in project management, lean manufacturing, and systems integration – pairing technical depth with leadership readiness in a way few degrees attempt. Frank and Ding also discuss how the program reflects broader shifts in higher education, with more flexible on-ramps and off-ramps for students. Notably, up to 88 credits toward the degree can come from Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) credentials, making the path faster and more accessible for high schoolers, community college students, and working professionals alike.
By building the program around existing SACA industry certification standards rather than starting from scratch, UW-Stout has created a degree that’s directly aligned with what manufacturers actually need – one that other SACA member institutions can plug into through articulation agreements. Listen to Frank and Ding unpack how this new degree fits into UW-Stout’s polytechnic mission and what it means for the future of manufacturing education.
Learn more about the Tech Ed Podcast and listen to other episodes at techedpodcast.com.
