Indian Hills Community College Earns NIMS Accreditation
NIMS Accreditation is the highest benchmark that a metalworking training provider may achieve and, as of November 12, 2014, the Machine Technology Program at Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) is officially accredited.
This achievement is a result of the dedication of IHCC staff and faculty to meet NIMS national skill standards for Level I Machining, with emphasis on:
- CNC Milling: Programming, Setup, and Operations
- CNC Turning Operations
- CNC Turning: Programming, Setup, and Operations
- Job Planning, Benchwork, & Layout
- Measurement, Materials & Safety
Accreditation requires from applicant programs a comprehensive review, which includes a self-evaluation, as completed by the applicant training provider, and a rigorous two-day On Site Evaluation.
The On Site Evaluation occurred at the college in early Fall 2014 and was conducted by Evaluation Team Leader George Crossland. Assisting George was Andy Livin, a CNC Machining Technology Professor at nearby Kirkwood Community College, another NIMS-accredited community college in Iowa.
The On Site Evaluation included a facility inspection of the college’s metalworking shop, as well as a host of in-depth interviews with students, instructors, administrators, program advisory committee members, and industry employers located in and around the City of Ottumwa.
Following these events, the Evaluation Team reported on having gathered sufficient evidence to recommend accreditation, giving the program the highest ratings possible in all areas of the two-day On Site Evaluation:
- Program Purpose
- Facilities
- Equipment, Tooling, & Measuring Devices
- Program Features
- Administration
- Instructional Staff
- Advisory Committee
Valid for five years at a time, the accreditation of IHCC’s Machine Technology Program will remain active until November 2019.