The tools needed for a good education traditionally include teachers, classrooms and text books. But when it comes to the Advanced Manufacturing Program at Ivy Tech Community College, tools of another kind are an integral part of the learning environment.

That's why the support of donors like Ahaus Tool & Engineering, Inc., is so important. Their gifts give students access to the same up-to-date machining technology they will use when they enter the workforce, which makes them productive from the start and minimizes the amount of supplemental training their employers have to provide.

A recent donation by Ahaus, for example, allowed the Richmond campus to purchase

A gift from Ahaus Tool allowed Ivy Tech Community College to purchase state-of-the-art machining equipment for its Advanced Manufacturing Program. Shown left to right are Rick Ahaus, Jeff Sheridan, and Kevin Ahaus.

a new Haas TM-1 Tool Room Mill and TM-2 Tool Room Lathe. These state-of-the-art tools are the same ones used by many of the companies that will hire Ivy Tech graduates. According to Advanced Manufacturing Program chair Jim Stokes, this benefits both students and their future employers. "These two machines provide an opportunity to expand the skills currently taught in the laboratories," Stokes says. "It's important to have industry-standard machines and we are pleased to have the new equipment for training."

In addition to benefitting students looking to start a career, this equipment will help retrain more experienced workers as the manufacturing environment changes. With advanced manufacturing as a priority job-growth area in Indiana, experience in working with 21st century technologies is becoming ever more imperative.

Faculty member Sonya Jones demonstrates the types of hands-on learning made possible by Ahaus Tool's support.

Ahaus Tool understands these changes and Ivy Tech's role in strengthening Indiana's workforce due to its long partnership with the College. For decades, the company has made training and education a top priority. Many Ahaus workers begin as apprentices, working for the company while studying at Ivy Tech. Ahaus pays for employees' tuition, and upon completion of the program the apprentice receives a certification from the United States Department of Labor in the occupation of Tool & Die Maker or CNC Machinist. Chairman of the Board Rick Ahaus is proud of his company's commitment to its employees - and its continuing collaboration with Ivy Tech.

"The program has been an asset in our employee development programs," Ahaus explains. "We benefit from having new equipment for training and are pleased that we have the opportunity to support Ivy Tech Community College."