Mohave College Trains 300 at Manufacturing Center
Mohave College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center supported more than 300 learners through simulation and hands-on skilled trades training.
By Academic Writing Club Newsroom
Interplay Learning and Mohave College supported more than 300 learners in the first year of a new 36,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in western Arizona. The center combines Interplay’s immersive simulations with hands-on instruction in HVAC, electrical, industrial maintenance, safety, and other skilled trades. Students and incumbent workers can take career and technical education, short-term training, or customized employer courses. The Advanced Manufacturing Training Center builds on Mohave’s existing use of Interplay in its HVAC program.
Training Across Skilled Trades
Mohave has embedded Interplay’s course catalog into its curriculum, allowing learners to practice skills in immersive 3D simulations before working with physical equipment. The model combines asynchronous simulation work with collaborative instruction in the lab.
Jason Gee, Dean of Career and Technical Education at Mohave College, said:
“Interplay has been a key part of our HVAC curriculum, and bringing that simulation technology into our new Advanced Manufacturing Training Center gives us the flexibility to provide training that employers need. We can customize training for students entering the trades as well as for employers looking to upskill their current workforce.”
Simulation Before Lab Work
The center’s HVAC students use simulation software to practice troubleshooting before applying those skills to equipment in the lab. Mohave says the approach expanded its training capacity without requiring the college to develop every course from scratch.
KC Boyd, HVAC Instructor at Mohave College, said:
“Interplay's simulation software has been a great addition to our HVAC program at Mohave College's Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. It gives our students a chance to practice real-world HVAC troubleshooting in a safe environment and then apply what they learned on actual equipment in the lab. I've been very pleased with how well the software supports our hands-on training and helps students build confidence and prepare for the workforce.”
Plans For Further Expansion
Mohave plans to expand the center’s training programs and industry partnerships as regional workforce needs change. The college’s model gives regional employers an option for customized training alongside its student programs.
Doug Donovan, Co-Founder and CEO at Interplay Learning, said:
“Mohave College demonstrates how education and industry can work together to create a more responsive workforce training model. By combining immersive technology with hands-on instruction and employer-driven training, Mohave is helping learners build practical skills while giving local businesses a more flexible way to develop their workforce.”
