Arkansas State University Newport’s Controls Tech Apprenticeship prepares apprentices for high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing and industrial automation, with a focus on electrical systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), robotics, and process control technologies.

Program Highlights:

This industry-driven apprenticeship combines classroom instruction with hands-on training to develop skilled Controls Technicians who are ready to support, maintain, and troubleshoot complex manufacturing systems.

Apprentices who successfully complete the program are prepared to work in automated environments across industries such as food processing, steel production, advanced manufacturing, and logistics.

Start Dates:

⮚ August 18

⮚ October 15

⮚ January 20

⮚ March 16

Enroll for the full apprenticeship program or select specific classes that fit your needs.

Training Overview by Year:

Year 1 

⮚ Industrial Electricity 1

⮚ Industrial Motor Control 1

⮚ Industrial Electricity 2

⮚ Programmable Logic Controls 1 (PLC 1)

⮚ Industrial Process Control

Year 2 

⮚ Industrial Motor Control 2

⮚ Programmable Logic Controls 2 (PLC 2)

⮚ Industrial Robotics

⮚ Temperature Process Controls

⮚ Introduction to Network

Year 3 

⮚ Level and Flow Process Control

⮚ Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD)

⮚ Programmable Logic Controls 3 (PLC 3)

Customizable and Flexible Schedules available. Pick and choose courses based on your needs.

To Register or for any Questions

Email - workforce@asun.edu or call (870) 680-8717.

Arkansas State University Newport’s Industrial Maintenance Apprenticeship prepares apprentices for high-demand careers in maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the mechanical, electrical, and fluid power systems used in today’s industrial and manufacturing facilities.

Program Highlights:

This industry-aligned apprenticeship combines classroom instruction with hands-on lab experience to train Industrial Maintenance Technicians who are equipped to ensure the safety, efficiency, and reliability of production equipment and systems.

Apprentices who successfully complete the program are prepared to work in a variety of sectors, including food processing, steel production, advanced manufacturing, and logistics.

Start Dates:

⮚ August 18

⮚ October 15

⮚ January 20

⮚ March 16

Enroll for the full apprenticeship program or select specific classes that fit your needs.

Training Overview by Year:

Year 1 

⮚ Mathematical Applications

⮚ Mechanical Drives

⮚ Industrial Fluid Power 1

⮚ Industrial Electricity 1

⮚ Trade Skills

Year 2

⮚ Workplace Essentials

⮚ Programmable Logic Controls 1 (PLC 1)

⮚ Programmable Logic Controls 2  (PLC 2)

⮚ Industrial Motor Controls 1

⮚ Industrial Fluid Power 2

⮚ Industrial Electricity 2

Customizable and Flexible Schedules available. Pick and choose courses based on your needs.

Learning Format: Courses are delivered in a hybrid format with scheduled start dates throughout the year, combining in-person instruction and hands-on training to meet the needs of today’s industrial workforce.

To Register or for any Questions

Email workforce@asun.edu or call (870) 680-8717

Students will learn Allen Bradley VFD Powerflex HMI, including lockout procedures for safety. This class includes the following units of instruction; introduction to various types of AC motors, AC motor basics of voltage, speed, power factor, torque, and motor starting methods, VFD Basics, VFD Working Principle and Operation, VFD Control, VFD Installation (hard wiring VFD-cable termination), VFD Start-up, Soft Starter working principle, Drive software start, and Troubleshooting VFD Drives.Also includes introduction to Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus operator interface configuration and complementary ControlLogix programming, using FTView, Studio5000 and RSLinx. Variable frequency drive basics taught are the same for all VFDs regardless of brand. Includes the Laboratory Manual, Final Exam, and Certificate of Completion.

About the Instructor

Ken Walsh started his career as an Electrical Engineer developing automated sawmill equipment. He worked for Rockwell Automation for just under 20 years as a field support engineer where he saw applications everywhere imaginable. Ken is also a proud Vietnam era veteran.

Build the Leadership Skills Needed to Lead Teams and Drive Success

Arkansas State University Newport’s Supervisor Apprenticeship is a 35-week, 140-hour program is designed for aspiring or new supervisors seeking foundational leadership and workplace management skills.

With 50% online and 50% in-person delivery, it offers flexibility while maintaining hands-on learning and engagement.

Tuition: $700 (2 payments available)

Total Hours: 140 (70 online / 70 in person)

In person hours are every Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm

Course Modules Include:

✔ Microsoft Applications (24 hrs) Gain proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams to improve daily productivity and team collaboration.

✔ Leadership Development I (12 hrs) Learn the foundational practices for effective leadership, responsibility, vision-setting, and empathic communication.

✔ Transitioning to Supervisor (12 hrs) Explore the essential mindset, skills, and responsibilities of becoming a confident and capable supervisor.

✔ Leadership Development II (7 hrs) Deepen leadership impact by building trust, setting strategic goals, and mentoring others to reach their potential.

✔ Time Management (7 hrs) Master planning, prioritization, and productivity strategies to maximize your time and energy.

✔ HR Essentials for Supervisors (12 hrs) Understand the core HR principles related to hiring, performance management, employee engagement, and workplace safety.

✔ Communication (12 hrs) Enhance your ability to exchange information clearly, professionally, and persuasively across your organization.

✔ Business Budgeting (24 hrs) Build your financial literacy, budgeting skills, and data-driven decision-making abilities.

✔ OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Certification (10 hrs) Learn the fundamentals of workplace safety and hazard prevention.

Designed For: New or prospective supervisors in any industry who want a well-rounded, practical leadership foundation.

To Register or to Learn More:

Email workforce@asun.edu or call (870) 680-8717

This course provides advanced tools for solving real-world problems in Microsoft Excel 2019: lookup and decision-making functions, auditing and error-handling, array functions, date and text functions, importing and exporting, what-if-analysis, and macros.

Excel Level 3 is a continuation of Level 2, participants should have those skills before taking Excel Level 3. Course objectives are If Statements, Lookup Functions, Date and Text Functions, What-If Analysis, Exporting, Importing using Power Pivot, Simple Macros and Form Tools.

Participants will explore tools for communication, time management, data analysis and more, gaining practical skills for using AI to enhance productivity and decision-making.  This workshop is designed for beginners, no prior AI experience is required. Participants will have the opportunity to receive a certificate of completion for the workshop, recognizing their efforts and new AI skills

This program is approved for the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship.

Basic Eligibility Criteria

An applicant must:

• Be an Arkansas resident
• Be a high school graduate or received high school equivalency
• Not be a current recipient of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship
• Be accepted for admission in a program of study at an approved institution of higher education that leads to an associate degree or a certificate program in the fields of Industry, Health Care, or Information Technology.

Award Amounts

The Workforce Challenge Award will be the cost of a certificate program or 

This course will increase your knowledge of the Control-Logix 5000 controller capabilitieprogram of study not to exceed $800. 

Apply for the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship

Course Description:

In this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of project development tasks and applications, learn how to create and organize a RSLogix 5000 project, creating new programs, routines, periodic event tasks and applications. You will also learn to configure Addon instructions, User Defined Data Tables, Producer Consumer Messaging and PID.

Ken Walsh started his career as an Electrical Engineer developing automated sawmill equipment. He worked for Rockwell Automation for just under 20 years as a field support engineer where he saw applications everywhere imaginable. Ken is also a proud Vietnam era veteran.

• Experience in Automation Systems, software, System Design, Pneumatics, Electric Motor Drives, Panel Design, logic controllers, HMI project management, startup, troubleshooting and repair with disciplines applied across a multitude of industries.
• Broad knowledge of general automation, networks, motion control, drive systems and process control that spans across multiple control vendors.
• Experience with networks and communications includes: Controlnet, Devicenet, Ethernet, Modbus.

Summary

Escalating your personal or professional development begins withen visioning a brighter and more meaningful future. What do you want to achieve? What do you want to get better at? Individuals who create a personal vision, welcome new challenges and expand their comfort zones are destined for greater things. In addition, everyone benefits when relationships flourish. Taking an introspective look at your interpersonal skills to determine specific ways to work better with others is a first step to ensuring positive interactions. To develop effective business professionalism, this workshop is aimed at equipping individuals with the proper vision and interpersonal skills for success.

Context

Success occurs when a person intentionally defines who they want to be and what they want to achieve. Ambitious people have a clear picture of where they are going and a plan to get there. Part of being our best also involves how we relate with others. Building and nurturing interpersonal relationships often takes an intentional effort to connect with others and manage our interactions with them.

In this workshop, you learn best practices for building professional relationships. Not only will you learn ways to adjust your approach for dealing with others, you will set targets for implementing what you learn so that your relations benefit from incremental improvements and trust. The workshop lays the foundation for success by encouraging you to think big and providing tools and tips to get there.

This training will empower participants to:

• Identify opportunities to improve professional relationships.

• Understand and apply a cycle for growth and change.

• Develop a motivating and achievable vision.

• Adopt best practices for improving interactions with others.

• Create professional connections that can facilitate success.

Competency Categories:

Interpersonal Skills—Consistently builds strong, long-term relationships both inside and outside the organization.

Communication—Practices active listening supported with relevant oral and written information.

Vision—Future oriented. Applies imagination and wisdom to develop a picture of what could and what should be in terms of ultimate success.

Influence—Consistently directs situations andinspires mutual agreement and an all-win outcome.

External Awareness—Sees things from different points of view and recognizes the impact that actions have on others. Keeps up todate with issues and trends that affect areas of responsibility.