BCTC, Toyota, UK Launch Summer Academy for Smart Manufacturing
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Bluegrass Community and Technical College has partnered with Toyota Motor North America Production Engineering and the University of Kentucky's Fujio Cho Department of Engineering Technology to launch the Fujio Cho Smart Manufacturing Summer Academy, expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in advanced manufacturing.
The summer program represents the latest expansion of a long-standing collaboration between the three organizations aimed at strengthening Kentucky's manufacturing workforce. The Fujio Cho Department of Engineering Technology was established in 2021 through a $2.25 million gift from Toyota, creating pathway programs that combine community college and university education in lean systems and computer engineering technology.
The academy builds on existing initiatives that have made BCTC a hub for advanced manufacturing education. The curriculum includes classroom instruction and lab experiences, building upon UK Pigman Engineering's more than 31-year partnership with Toyota. Students enrolled in the Lean Systems Engineering Technology program spend their first years earning their Associate of Applied Science degree at BCTC's Georgetown campus before pursuing their bachelor's degree at UK's main campus.
Toyota has maintained a significant presence in Central Kentucky since the late 1980s and has consistently invested in workforce development programs. In recent months, Toyota has expanded its commitment to engineering education partnerships across Kentucky institutions, recognizing the critical need for skilled manufacturing talent in the region.
The Fujio Cho Department offers two four-year undergraduate degrees: Lean Systems Engineering Technology and Computer Engineering Technology, with graduates trained in the latest technologies and equipped with practical skills necessary for advanced technology industries. The partnership demonstrates how academia and industry can collaborate to address workforce shortages in manufacturing, a key sector for Kentucky's economic growth.