Opportunities in Robotics & Automation From Instructor Muhammad Laghari
"It basically means everything for me to be able to pass along my knowledge on to someone else and see them succeed."
For those who have heard about the robotics & automation field or have found themselves curious to know more, Muhammad Laghari, Senior Robotics & Automation Instructor and former electrical electronic engineer shares good news, “This industry is growing. Automation is coming everywhere.”
Muhammad is not only an instructor; he oversees the professional development within the program. His passion for teaching and the industry is palpable, and he's committed to the growth of his students, as he tells us.
“It basically means everything for me to be able to pass along my knowledge on to someone else and see them succeed,” he expresses.1
The Robotics & Automation Technician program is divided into sections, each one designed to develop the students' critical-thinking skills.
"The ability to look at a problem and creatively solve it is what we strive to instill in our students," he explains.
There's a common fear that automation might take jobs away, but according to him, it's simply moving jobs to a different skill set. He emphasizes the need for individuals who understand robotics and automation.
"The graduates from here [can] have their skill set applied in manufacturing, warehouses, maintenance, engineering – in a number of things like instrumentation, controls and even testing. Their skill set is very wide and can go into a number of places," he says.6
The potential career paths are varied. Our grads are prepared to pursue entry-level roles like robotics technician, maintenance technician and control systems technician. As with any industry, over time, technicians may be able to advance in their careers with experience and hard work to roles like test engineering technician, robotics engineer, system integrator, automation program manager and more! Some of these roles may even involve travel!77
"There’s a wide variety and a number of potential paths," Muhammad adds.
This career field, he emphasizes, is suitable for those who enjoy solving problems, are detail-oriented, and enjoy math and physics. But even if you didn’t enjoy those elements, having a knack for working with machines or solving puzzles could still make this an amazing career path for you to pursue.
Muhammad also underlines the benefits of completing a program like this:
"Apart from a degree or certificate, it really builds connections and networking for you,” says Muhammad. “It gives you an environment surrounded by other people who are working in the same industry and that helps you."
The dedication to his students is clear and seems to spread through all the faculty and staff.
"We care about our students not just as a student, but as a person. If somebody is going through a problem we will help them out," he says with confidence.
What’s his favorite part about this field? The people and the work.
“You get to meet really cool people, have awesome adventures, solve amazing problems and no two days are the same,” Muhammad shares, “You get to do something different every day.”
For those looking to pursue a career in this field, Muhammad has some advice:
"You have to be patient with problems because these are different challenges you see every day. You have to have a creative mindset toward problem-solving."
For anyone interested in the field, Muhammad encourages them to look into our program. He acknowledges that change is a constant in this industry, but he's confident that it's only going to get bigger and better, according to him.
"In the next 10 years, this industry might be very different from what we were looking at in the last 10 years. It’s going to get bigger and it’s going to change."