Critical Environments Engineering Technology Program

Critical environments include laboratories that can keep harmful substances or organisms from escaping and clean rooms that can maintain contaminant-free conditions for manufacturing. To work properly, critical environments need special air handling, mechanical systems, security features, waste treatment, decontamination systems, and programmable controls. Many facility technicians are not trained to work with critical environment applications and other common mechanical or automation systems. The region surrounding Manhattan Area Technical College in Kansas has an increasing demand for technicians to maintain critical environments. This local demand is driven by the biotechnology, life science, and animal health laboratories in the area, as well as the new Department of Homeland Security?s National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility. To meet this need, the college will develop certificate and associate degree programs focused on teaching students the skills and knowledge they need to operate and maintain critical environments. The program will be the first of its kind, and thus has the potential to serve as a model for other institutions. 

This project will develop courses for a certificate and an associate of applied science degree in critical environments engineering technology. The curriculum will incorporate industrial safety and maintenance engineering topics in combination with biosafety principles. The instructional design of the program will offer two pathways to meet the specific needs of different students. Students could take individual modules to fill specific training needs, or complete a curriculum to obtain a certificate or degree. The individual modules will be stackable to encourage students to work toward completion of their education. The program will emphasize a hands-on approach to integrate behavioral-based training methods in a simulated biosafety laboratory environment. This laboratory environment includes building automation systems technology with core mechanical applications such as air handling, welding, hydronics, and construction. The program will directly support workforce needs in regional industries. It can also provide professional development opportunities to incumbent employees, so they can add the skills needed to work in critical environments. The project also aims to strengthen the safety, compliance, and operations of the growing number of industries and companies that use critical environments.