Bullen Ultrasonics, known for its expertise in precision machining of advanced ceramics, glass, and specialty materials through proprietary ultrasonic and laser technologies, has introduced its Junior Engineer Program. This comprehensive 24-month initiative is designed to build workforce capabilities by offering participants a clear route to earning an associate degree in engineering or a related technical discipline. Developed in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College, the program highlights the company’s focus on nurturing in-house talent while supporting the growth of the regional advanced manufacturing sector.

“Mastering Bullen’s technologies and processes requires both in-depth technical knowledge and practical experience,” said CEO Tim Beatty.

“Investing in our employees is essential to our long-term success. This program integrates accredited education with hands-on mentorship, preparing our team members to evolve into future engineering leaders within the company.”

Created with guidance from Bullen’s technical experts and aligned with Ivy Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Applied Science (AMEAS) curriculum, the program blends classroom learning with on-site labs, mentorship, and project-based training tailored to Bullen’s precision machining operations.

Brandi Jackson, Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Development at Ivy Tech Community College, emphasized the value of the collaboration, noting that it demonstrates how industry and education can work together to deliver career-focused learning. By connecting accredited coursework with Bullen’s operational requirements, the initiative equips employees with practical skills that support long-term career growth while strengthening the local manufacturing workforce.

The program focuses on developing highly skilled, analytical, and data-oriented fabrication engineers from within Bullen’s existing workforce. Selected participants—identified as high-potential operators—remain in their current roles while dedicating structured time to engineering training, reducing the company’s reliance on external hiring.

Mentorship is a central component of the initiative. Each participant is paired with an experienced Bullen engineer who provides technical guidance and exposure to real-world challenges across areas such as process engineering, controls, machine design, and metrology. This structured model builds on earlier informal mentoring efforts, where senior engineers collaborated with interested operators on practical engineering projects.

Springer Smith, ultrasonic technology manager and technical lead for the program, explained that the initiative grew organically from these earlier efforts. As operators expressed interest in engineering careers, regular problem-solving sessions evolved into a more formal structure. By combining mentorship, hands-on projects, and academic study, Bullen established a pathway for employees to transition into engineering roles while reinforcing its long-term talent pipeline.

To maintain strong academic standards alongside practical relevance, selected Bullen engineers have completed Ivy Tech’s instructor certification process. These certified instructors are now authorized to deliver Ivy Tech-aligned coursework and labs on-site, effectively connecting classroom concepts with real manufacturing applications.

Participants can earn Ivy Tech credits applicable toward certificates or an associate degree in engineering. The program uses a flexible format, combining online coursework with instructor-led labs and applied projects conducted at Bullen’s facility.

Spanning four phases over two years, the program begins with foundational concepts and culminates in a capstone project. Core areas of study include mathematics, safety, and machining fundamentals; control theory and process understanding; system integration and data analysis; and a final continuous improvement project.

Throughout the program, participants complete competency-based assignments and performance evaluations. Graduates receive a Bullen Certificate and are well-positioned for future technical roles within the organization. The first cohort will include up to six employees, ensuring focused mentorship and high-quality instruction.

By integrating formal education, certified internal trainers, and ongoing one-on-one mentorship within an active manufacturing setting, the Junior Engineer Program underscores Bullen Ultrasonics’ commitment to continuous learning and internal talent development as drivers of long-term innovation.

Click here to know more about careers at Bulle.

We are living through the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is causing rapid social and technological change. Simultaneously, complex challenges such as climate change and inequities force us to reconsider how we can do more - as a company, as a society, and as individuals. By encouraging innovation, creativity, and problem-solving, we see an opportunity to continue to imagine better with our Global Citizenship partners.

A global improvement in students' collaborative problem-solving capacity to the average level of today's top ten scoring countries could add $2.54 trillion to global productivity.

Manufacturing careers and equitable opportunities
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Company. It is a time for reflection, but it also inspires us to think about how we can leverage decades of expertise and experience. We see the future as an opportunity to carry out our strategy to decarbonize our business, increase value, and accelerate our sustainability investments. To accomplish this, we recognize the importance of investing in the future manufacturing workforce. Allow me to provide some examples of how we accomplish this.

Dow has been a supporter of Manufacturing Day for many years, and we are also proud to be the National Legacy Sponsor of the Creators Wanted campaign, another initiative led by the United States National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The Manufacturing Institute (MI) that aims to educate, inspire, and empower the next generation to be creators, a modern view of what a career in manufacturing could look like.

The partnership with Universidad Tecnológica Nacional resulted in the Buen Trabajo (Good Jobs) program, which has been helping improve employability in the region for more than 15 years by providing technical and human skills training for vulnerable people in Baha Blanca, Argentina, home of our largest facility in Latin America. Recent efforts have focused on increasing gender diversity in the trades by increasing female enrollment in courses traditionally associated with men.

Cultivating an innovative mindset
The 4IR is changing the way we work and connecting people, machines, and digital technology. That is why we are committed to partnering with organizations that foster an innovative mindset and prepare students for jobs of the future through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning that is accessible to all students.

Engaging for impact
Throughout our global partnerships that span many cultures, one thing stands out: Team Dow's ability and willingness to be deeply engaged in volunteering to support equitable education in their communities. • A class with a science experiment; • Mentoring a FIRST® Robotics team to ensure the team focuses on inclusion; or • Hosting a Girls in STEM Day for over 300 middle school students to foster gender diversity and inclusion in STEM.

It makes me very proud to see how thousands of our employees devote their time and resources to assisting tomorrow's innovators in thriving, cultivating innovative mindsets, and seeing future opportunities.

Because we recognize that the challenges confronting our local and global communities are complex and interconnected, and we understand that finding solutions will necessitate collaboration based on shared ideas fueled by creative innovators from around the world. Investing in education is more than just wishing for a better future: it is taking action to make that wish a reality.