The purpose of this grant is to provide funding to Lenoir Community College (LCC) to start an Industrial Systems Technology (IST) program which will provide local aerospace and manufacturing industries with trained maintenance technicians. The new mechatronics training offered through the IST program will enhance current advanced manufacturing programs and provide training requested by industry that is not currently available at LCC. A recent survey by the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board identified a number of open IST positions at existing companies as well as future needs to replace employees aging out of the workplace.