HCC showcases manufacturing and information technology at Comicpalooza 2017
May 31, 2017
Thousands of comic and gaming fans packed the George R. Brown Convention Center recently to take part in Comicpalooza 2017, the largest pop culture festival in Texas. Houston Community College (HCC) dazzled the crowd with 3D printers, a Van Der Graaf generator and augmented reality.
Palooza-goers gathered around the two HCC booths for the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence and the Digital Gaming and Simulation Program to learn more about how to create their gaming visions or comic strip heroes using the tech tools of tomorrow.
“People who are interested in science and technology have stopped by and asked a lot of questions,” said Roland Fields, supervisor of HCC Southwest Technology Support. “What’s great about events like this is people from all walks of life stop by and are exposed to new technology and learn about what HCC offers this community right in their own backyard.”
While these high-tech gadgets are fun to introduce to the public, they do have a multitude of serious real-world applications. For example, 3D printers are used in the medical field to create prosthetic limbs and in the oil and gas industry to create various prototype designs. Augmented reality is not only used for game creation, but for simulating training exercises for law enforcement and firefighters.
Events like Comicpalooza 2017 help highlight HCC programs by visually connecting the dots between the machinery and the various career opportunities associated with it. For those who stopped by the the HCC Advanced Manufacturing booth, it was a challenge to think differently about what manufacturing is today.
“This is no longer the manufacturing of the 1950’s and 1970’s,” said Shawn Trubo, an HCC manufacturing engineer technician. “It’s not about getting your hands dirty. It’s high tech. We’re showing young people what the HCC Manufacturing program is all about: computerized, robotic equipment with high wages and increasing job growth potential in the next five to 10 years.”
In fact, Manufacturers’ News, Inc. reports more than 836,000 Texans are employed in manufacturing, the second highest number in the U.S., and the digital and information technology (IT) industry is not far behind. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects IT occupations will grow faster than the average for all occupations. With the emerging technologies such as motion capture, augmented reality and virtual reality, various industries are embracing the forces of change and realizing they can open up new opportunities.
"Since 2005, HCC has been a pioneer in gaming and simulation higher education in Texas,” said Reni Abraham, HCC’s Digital Gaming and Simulation Program coordinator. “Our students have endless job opportunities using these technologies and they are not limited to just game development. The development of visual training simulations on mobile devices is huge in the medical, oil, energy, and other industries.”
The students demonstrate their projects at local events, such as Comicpalooza, to bring awareness to the local community and businesses that talent is available right in Houston to meet their needs in these advanced technologies. “By attending these types of events, local businesses get the opportunity to see the skill sets of students, interview them, and potentially hire them," Abraham said.
For more information on the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, visit: hccs.edu/manufacturing
For more information on the Digital and Information Technology Center of Excellence, visit: hccs.edu/digital