Students at the University of Kentucky and West Kentucky Community and Technical College have the opportunity to pursue a Computer Engineering Technology degree thanks to a collaboration between the two schools. The schools have previously collaborated on other degree programs, as well.
Kentucky’s higher education students now have the opportunity to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology thanks to a collaboration between West Kentucky Community and Technical College and the University of Kentucky.
In an article from Metropolis Planet, the director of the University of Kentucky College of Engineering-Paducah Campus, Dr. Charles Lu, talked about the collaboration. He said that the now-pending final approval process started last November. The University has offered the same ABET program for nearly 30 years to Lexington students through a similar collaboration with Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Like that collaboration, students participating in the Computer Engineering Technology degree would study at West Kentucky Community and Technical College for the duration of the degree.
Dr. Lu explained, saying, “Students won’t need to go anywhere; they’ll stay here for two years and complete an associate’s, (then) stay for two more years and complete a four-year degree. Along the way, the program offers several professional certificates.”
The professional certificates include environmental engineering, sustainability, production, and aerospace.
The University of Kentucky and West Kentucky Community and Technical College have also offered four-year degree programs in chemical and mechanical engineering pathways since the late 1990s.
Dr. Lu said this new program is more general, noting, “Chemical engineering, for example, I might work at a chemical plant. But computer engineering technology is basically everywhere — every product you see every day in general manufacturing. Anyone graduating from this program can work in the aerospace industry, automotive industry … anything automated with software.”
The computer engineering program blends both software and hardware design. There will be classes in both circuitry and coding.
Courses early on in the program will introduce students to programming while classes later on will cover embedded systems like software that is not found in a normal computer. Embedded programming is found in objects such as timer circuits in coffee makers, traffic lights, and modern refrigerators.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that there will be a 5% increase in the need for computer engineers by 2031. In 2021, the median salary was around $128,000.
There has been an influx in coding jobs in general because of advances in AI. There is growth projected for most computing, software, and hardware focused careers.
“This program offers many options,” said Dr. Lu. “It has the potential to serve many industries and provide different types of workforces, from technicians to engineers. When students come here, they enroll in WKCTC, so they’re also eligible for scholarships from both institutions.”
The University of Kentucky College of Engineering has cited a yearly $25 million economic impact from engineering graduates from the area. Around 500 local engineers have graduated from the school with 40% of those being first-generation college students.
“Over 70% of them choose to stay local, with the opportunity to go anywhere else in the country. That’s the impact in the local community,” said Dr. Lu.
The program has received a total $602,000 in pledges from the community, with a recent $50,000 being pledged by the Paducah Area Community and Reuse Organization.
More information about the University of Kentucky can be found on the school’s website.
More information about West Kentucky Community and Technical College can be found on the school’s website here.