Spring 2002

Volume 5 Number 2
A publication of Macon State College

Macon State Partners with Robins Air Force Base To Produce Software Specialists

By Sheron Smith

Mike Hale, left, director of MSC's Institute for Information Management, talks with Andy Adsit, center, cheif of the engineering branch at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, and Clay Mims, cheif of the resources branch, software engineering, at WR-ALC. The college is partnering with Robins on an ICAPP project. Photo by Sheron Smith

In Macon State's most important economic development partnership to date, the college and Robins Air Force Base are launching a state-sponsored project to produce more software specialists for one of the nation's key defense logistics centers.

Under Georgia's Intellectual Capital Partnership Program, Macon State will provide an intensive, six-month IT education program for 15 engineers currently employed at Robins to help them in their work with high-tech airborne systems and other software technology. The Base has faced a shortage of software specialists and other knowledge workers who are crucial to attracting new workload and remaining competitive with other air logistics facilities in the U.S.

Robins Air Force Base powers the Central Georgia region's economy as one of the state's largest employers. With some 26,000 military, civilian and contract workers, the Base has an annual net payroll of $901 million and an annual retiree payroll of more than $400 million. According to a conservative formula used by the Air Force, Robins' economic impact on Georgia is $3.2 billion a year.

"Given the significance of the Base, we're excited about the opportunity to help accelerate the training of some of their personnel," said Dr. Bill Elieson, chair of Macon State's IT division, which crafted the curriculum. "Many Air Force employees are already in our IT program, so this is another chance to share our resources to support the mission at Robins."

Andrew H. Adsit, chief of the engineering branch at the Warner Robins-Air Logistics Facility, called the partnership a win-win-win situation for the state, the Base and the college.

"The state wins by retaining workload that may otherwise go elsewhere," he said. "Macon State wins by adding educational opportunities and Robins wins by having a flexible workforce."

ICAPP is a state-funded economic development incentive program that allows Georgia colleges and universities to hire instructors, renovate facilities and buy the technology necessary to customize education programs for companies that rely on knowledge workers to grow their business.

ICAPP's purpose is to increase the high-tech employee pool in order to attract new companies and allow existing ones to thrive. Generally, students chosen for ICAPP projects take classes full-time for six months and are guaranteed jobs with the partner company upon successful completion of the program. Students are usually eligible to receive HOPE Grants for tuition and others financial aid.

The ICAPP project with Robins will work a bit differently. The initial class of 15 students will be made up of degreed engineers who already work at the base but have their academic training in specialties outside the software arena. They will continue their jobs while taking classes full-time. Tentative plans call for filling future ICAPP classes with other Robins employees and using the program to recruit new talent for the increasingly sophisticated defense technologies that will be supported at the Base.