Education Over Training

The difference between education and training

It is simple to train a technician to replace a part on a machine. But if you get a new machine, the technician has to be trained all over again. Technicians educated in the principles of mechanics and electronics, however, have the knowledge to look beyond changing a part. When a new piece of equipment is brought in — something they've never seen before — they are able to troubleshoot and diagnose problems, make necessary repairs, and apply the principles of good maintenance for future operations.

Our courses go beyond specific parts and equipment — we educate students in underlying concepts which they apply again and again, even as the technology in their working environments changes.

A Building-Block Approach

MPACT® classes work from simple to complex, using hands on exercises to put theory into practice at each step. For example, students in the electronics classroom start with a simple circuit or diagram. The instructor teaches the theory and operation of the circuit and questions the students to make sure they understand. Then they go into the lab where they build the same circuit — proving that it works just as the theory says it will. The instructor may then bug the circuit, and the students must debug it using the circuit diagram, meter, and their understanding of the circuit. In other cases, the students must redesign the circuit to make it work as it should. Finally, it's back to the classroom for a more complex circuit, and the process continues as before.

Within each class, students move from the simple to the complex. Classes also become increasingly complex as students move on to certification in a particular area.