Beginning Fall 2023, Aims Community College will offer an Associate of Engineering Science (AES) degree that transfers to the Colorado School of Mines. This program will allow local students to start closer to home, prepare students for a larger institution and lower the cost of a high-quality college education.
Aims Community College Launches New Degree Program for Future Engineers
February 28, 2023
Aims currently offers an Industrial Technology Associate of Applied Science degree and six certificate programs in Energy, Manufacturing Operations, Automation, Maintenance and Robotics. “Historically, we have been focused on students coming in to get a two-year degree or certificate to help them quickly enter the workplace as a technician,” said Dave Sordi, an Aims instructor in Industrial Technology and Energy Studies. “Once they got their associate degree or certificate, that was really an endpoint for them. This new degree will provide a path for students who want to pursue a four-year degree in engineering.”
Most current engineering job listings require at least a four-year degree or higher. This is why Aims developed the articulation agreement with the Colorado School of Mines. Aims conducted a degree feasibility study in Spring 2022 that forecasted a higher-than-average occupational demand for engineers within Weld County. While Weld County's median salary is slightly below the national average, median earnings for engineers in 2021 was reported at $94,511.
“This expands our potential student population to those who want a four-year degree,” Sordi said. “It’s exciting because it provides students an alternative, where they can get their technical start and save quite a bit of money, especially if they are from around here and don’t have to pay for a dorm room in addition to higher tuition and other costs.”
An articulation agreement is a formal document produced when academic institutions follow a process leading to a partnership to provide a formalized pathway for student transfer. This articulation agreement does not guarantee admission to the Colorado School of Mines but prepares students to transfer.
“Some students might feel intimidated to go directly to the School of Mines,” Sordi said. “Aims can give them a more comfortable start and build confidence.“
Visit aims.co/apply to begin the admission process and learn more about the AES program. Another way to learn more about Aims Industrial Technology and our community lab is to join us at the Engineering Technology Open House on March 8 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Applied Technology and Trades Center on the Greeley Campus. Visit events.aims.edu for more information.
