Donation from Ashley Furniture brings upgrades and training to Western Tech

Only school in region with both the automation lab and
certified instructors to train all levels of robotic technicians.

Ashley Furniture has helped equip Western Technical College with a donation amounting in over $470,000.

The Arcadia, Wis., company has donated state-of-the-art equipment, including six Yakasawa robots, along with simulated trainers and training.

The equipment will be placed in the Ashley Furniture Industrial Automation Lab at the newly constructed Integrated Technology Center on Western’s campus.

“We met with them, probably, at least a dozen times,” future Western Tech president Roger Stanford said. “Multiple tours back and forth and conversations just evolved into, ‘

What can we do to help that industry?’ and ‘How can they help us achieve those goals of raising that level?'”

In addition, the Ron and Joyce Wanek Foundation donated to Western’s Foundation, allowing faculty become certified on the equipment. 

Western will be the only technical college in this region with both the automation lab and the instructor certification required to fully train all levels of robotic technicians. 

“It’s important for our faculty to receive training before we implement it in the classroom, and the cost of that training can sometimes be a barrier to having multiple people certified,” current Western Tech president Lee Rasch said. “We are grateful that the Wanek’s recognized this need and provided Western with the funds to move forward.”

Faculty will be trained and ready for fall, while the robots are installed over summer.