Your opinions

By Staff
Robotics center shouldn't be at colleges
The following letter was sent to Gov. Bob Riley
Editor:
There is a lot of talk about a robotics center in North Alabama. There has been talk about placing this at Calhoun or Wallace (community) colleges. Many people in an industrial setting would not attend college.
I personally have a bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting but like working with my hands. You have a chance not to just bind this center to robotics but to other trades in the industrial world. There is a shortage right now of pipe fitters and welders certified to do a proper job and many of these, like me, are getting older than we like. Millwrights like me know our trade but many jobs require NCCER Certification, something you can't get on the job. I am a precision millwright having a knowledge of robotics, yet I know how far behind I am in this field because there is no structure to build on. There are many fields such as machinists, industrial air conditioning and cooling, the list is long here. Today's employers want to see a piece of paper to show certification in whatever. (Someone needs) a piece of paper to say they are ready to work in this field (that has) changed over the last decade. It is hard for someone like me with experience to find a job without certification; will you help others like me get that certification?
If the center is placed at a junior college many of the people I know that would like to attend wouldn't I would like to recommend you do something that has not been done since Gov. Wallace did it in the '60s to promote technical abilities. In Decatur sits the empty Lurleen B. Wallace campus.
Using this facility would cut down on the millions needed to build structures and classrooms at another sight. It would also give not just the people who are super smart a place to learn but give the average person a place to learn and train for something new.
Please do not just limit this robotics yet to work with industry and show the rest of the world that Alabama has enough forethought to train its future employees instead of having to wait on AIDT (Alabama Industrial Development Training) or the state to train them. I would like to suggest when looking at this, don't just place it at the junior college level but also with AIDT to promote a Ready in Alabama for Business much like you are advertising now. The more trained and ready we are, the more industry we can attract and the better employees will be.
Michael Hinshaw
Moulton
Night of Bands a success
Editor:
The Brewer High School Band boosters would like to thank the following for sponsoring Morgan County Night of Bands, because of their generosity band programs will continue to grow in this county!
American Legion Post #15, Allegra Printing, Allied Mortgage, American Recycling, Award Graphics Screen Printing , Band Wagon, Bates Pumping &Line Cleaning, Burger King, C &C Fabrication, Classic Cleaners, Corum's, Creative Sewing, Crye Leike Realtors AREA, Eddie Preuitt Ford, Eva Appliance
Eva Bank, Gilchrist Pharmacy, Goodwyn, Mills,&Cawood, H&R Block, Hartselle Enquirer, Humidor, Jack's, Jimmy Smith's Jewelry, JW Steakhouse, L &N Electrical Service, LB Concrete, Lynn Layton, Mortgage America, Mouchette Enterprises, Nucor, Papa Johns, Peck Funeral Home, Pendley Farms, Peoples Bank, Pepsi, Piggly Wiggly, Premier Bank, Quail Creek Golf, Quilter's Refuge , Railroad Bazaar, Redstone Federal Credit, Regions Bank, Rep. Ronald Grantland, S &S Food, Somerville Feed &Seed, Trimmers, Trucker's Warehouse and Wachovia.
Lisa Maxwell, Chairman
Morgan County Night of Bands