Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County Invests $100,000 to Bring New Industrial Training Equipment to Lemoore College to Expand Training for In-Demand Careers

The Amatrol Smart Controls Troubleshooting Learning System was recently installed at Lemoore College with funding from the Good Jobs Challenge.

Lemoore College has expanded its hands-on industrial training capabilities with the purchase and installation of a new Amatrol Smart Controls Troubleshooting Learning System, made possible through a $100,000 Good Jobs Challenge investment from the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County (WIB).

The new equipment provides students with hands-on training using programmable logic controllers, motor controls, sensors, and process-control technologies that reflect equipment and processes found in modern industrial workplaces. It will support Lemoore College’s Manufacturing Automation, Industrial Automation, and Industrial Mechanic programs, as well as their no-tuition programs for incumbent employees developed in response to employer needs.

The investment was made in response to feedback from industrial employers participating in the Tulare-Kings Industrial Partnership, which brings businesses together with workforce, education, and community partners to identify industry needs and develop workforce solutions.

“The investment in equipment at Lemoore College demonstrates the impact and results that are possible when businesses, education, and workforce partners work together,” said Jennie C. Bautista, Executive Director, WIB.  Our industrial partners identified a need, Lemoore College had the expertise to provide the training, and Good Jobs Challenge funding allowed us to invest in a solution that benefits both workers and businesses.”

The Amatrol equipment has been installed and is being used by students in Lemoore College's fall cohorts of Introduction to Industrial Automation and Industrial Mechanic 1. Twenty-nine students are currently receiving hands-on exposure to the equipment. Three students in the cohort are also enrolled in the Good Jobs Challenge and are receiving additional career services and support.  “This partnership with the WIB is an investment in our students and our regional workforce,” said Nick Griffith, Dean of Career Technical Education, Lemoore College. “The Amatrol system gives students the opportunity to learn and practice with technology they will encounter in the workplace, helping us prepare them with relevant skills while responding directly to the needs of regional employers.”

The investment advances the goals of the Good Jobs Challenge by expanding access to training that helps job seekers build the skills and experience needed to pursue quality jobs. Lemoore College will work with Employment Connection to identify eligible job seekers, connect them to training and career services, and track training and employment outcomes. The partnership aims to enroll 50 eligible participants by May 31, 2027.

The impact of this investment will extend well beyond the Good Jobs Challenge timeline. The equipment will remain at Lemoore College as a long-term training resource, preparing future generations of workers with in-demand skills while strengthening the talent pipeline for regional businesses. This further advances Lemoore’s Academy of Advanced Manufacturing, in partnership with Rockwell Automation. The first AAM cohort launches in January of 2027.

The Good Jobs Challenge is a federally funded initiative of the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The regional initiative is administered by the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County, with implementation in Tulare and Kings counties led by the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County. This Good Jobs Challenge program is fully funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as part of an award totaling $2,247,362.