WYSO Public Radio: Ohio awards $579K to Wright State to support electric vehicle and advanced manufacturing training

New state funding will bolster training in electric vehicle (EV) and advanced manufacturing technologies at Wright State University.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded the campus $579,000 to strengthen education and training opportunities.

The funding will enhance classroom learning on Wright State’s Dayton and Lake campuses, which the university says benefits both students and local industry workers seeking skills training.

One of the goals is to prepare students for in-demand careers.

“We need to prepare our students for the workforce now and in the future,” said Tammy Eilerman, director of the workforce development and business enterprise center at the Lake Campus, in a news release.

While the focus is on EVs, some at Wright State see opportunities to train students in emerging fields such as autonomous vehicles.

“Unmanned, driverless vehicles, they’re coming for sure,” said Ahsan Mian, professor of mechanical engineering and director of research and outreach in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, in a news release.

“Some of this equipment will be helpful for training students in driverless cars, for their repair and servicing and for engineering, designing and testing driverless vehicles.”

Read the story on wyso.org.