Originally published August 25, 2026
Northeast Texas Community College has successfully completed the Yaskawa Motoman Endorsed Robotics Instructor Training (MERIT) program, becoming a certified training center for YRC1000 basic programming, and basic programming with material handling.
Developed by Yaskawa Academy, the MERIT program prepares educational institutions to deliver the same robotics curriculum taught by Yaskawa's certified instructors. Through the program, schools gain the knowledge, instructional resources, and ongoing support needed to provide consistent, hands-on robotics training aligned with today's manufacturing workforce.
"The combination of grant funding and advancements in local industries gave the push to partner Northeast Texas Community College with Yaskawa," said Kevin Frost, director of industrial technology and training at NTCC. "A large part of this partnership was Priefert Manufacturing and other local companies exploring robotic automation and wanting training close to home."