As students begin their first semester in the new Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, they will be learning from someone who lives their future field every day.
Newly-minted Ohio State Lima lecturer Jim Rieman has plenty to keep him busy as the manufacturing engineering manager at Ford Motor Company, but he is excited to step into the teaching role as well.
“I have worked in manufacturing for almost 30 years. The changes and improvements that have been made in those 30 years have been phenomenal,” Rieman said. “Teaching in the BSET program gives me an opportunity to share some of the knowledge and experiences I have gained to the next generation of engineers and prepare them to make even greater advances in their careers.”
The manufacturing engineering-specific degree will produce engineers who will make immediate contributions and who have been trained locally, upping the chance that they will stay in the community.
The BSET program offers many opportunities to get involved with the students throughout their educational experience, which will give area manufacturers even more opportunities to groom the students to be successful in their companies after graduation, said Rieman.
“Since the degree was developed with the input of industry partners, it will prepare students to be able to understand the latest manufacturing processes and immediately contribute in the 21st century industrial environment,” Rieman said. “They also develop solid problem solving and communication skills to help them function in today’s team-based organizations.”
Rieman is looking for industry partners to help round out the student experience and build stronger future employees. Industry partners interested in any of the following opportunities are invited to take an interest survey online.
- Become a student mentor – A real-world resource that a student can come to with questions about the manufacturing engineering career.
- Sponsor different projects for laboratory experiences, which gives you the opportunity to have a student resource help with a project in your facility and gives the student real-world, tangible projects to work on.
- Host summer interns/co-op students.
- Sponsor or donate equipment for classroom/lab spaces that will help better prepare the student by training them on equipment specific to your needs.
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James Rieman is the engineering manager at the Ford-Lima Engine Plant, where he has worked since 1992 in a variety of positions, including team manager for Nano assembly and Duratec assembly, lead engineer for Duratec assembly and new programs, and manufacturing engineer for Vulcan assembly and OHC assembly. He earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with a minor in mathematics and computer science from Ohio Northern University and his Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from Kettering University.