Associate in Applied Science in Applied Technology
Students seeking the Associate in Applied Science in Applied Technology❖ degree may enter with a technical specialty gained from completion of technical programs, armed forces programs, or comparable programs that have been evaluated by the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service.
The goal of the program is to provide students with a quality education in a technology area by emphasizing a combination of general education courses and a selection of courses in a technical specialty. The program develops a knowledge base through core courses and selected electives while advancing a generalist view of technology. The specialty courses in this degree will satisfy the technical specialty requirement of the Bachelor of Technology in Applied Technology program offered at Rogers State University.
Options:
- Advanced Manufacturing Option
- Health Sciences
- Information Technology
- Professional Services
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Process Technology Option:
Refineries, power plants and large chemical plants all run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The people that operate the various reactors, pumps, compressors, heat exchangers and other equipment must man those plants the entire time they are running. They have an understanding of physics and chemistry to allow them to make proper adjustments to flow rates, temperatures, pressures and other physical properties.
In general, process technicians are high-tech, high-skill, high wage positions in the processing and manufacturing industry sectors. They work mostly in climate controlled environments, monitoring level, flow, temperature and pressure and respond to system and equipment failures to ensure smooth operations. Process technicians will also program and calibrate instrumentation and system controls.
There is a very high demand for process technicians locally regionally and nationally. One estimate is there are currently between 300,000 and 600,000 job openings nationwide in process manufacturing. The majority of those are for technicians who have the skills needed to control and monitor plant processes. Nearly 30 percent of current operators are 55 years and older, meaning a high retirement rate within the next five to 10 years. Local companies give job applicants with a PTECH degree top consideration.
Starting salaries for technicians with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Process Technology wage rates are higher in some industry sectors, however, starting salaries will range from $50-70,000 per year. Experienced technicians can make as much as $80 to $100,000 annually. Most companies offer excellent benefits, in addition to salary, that will factor into an overall total package.