CAVS Extension

Lean 101 is a class designed to introduce students to the principles of Lean Manufacturing, focusing on efficiency and waste reduction in processes. Students will learn how to identify and eliminate unnecessary steps through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities.

Instructor(s): William (Billy) Peacock, PE, Harry Kitchens and Montrell Marshall

Date(s): March 31, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

In this course, using interactive business simulation where you will be immersed in setting and running your own business, you will develop a new ability to visualize corporate financial information as a single landscape of interacting forces. You will experience how other departments affect how you do your job, and how you do your job affects other departments.

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell and Harry Kitchens

Date(s): April 2, 2026 (Communiversity)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

Lean 101 is a class designed to introduce students to the principles of Lean Manufacturing, focusing on efficiency and waste reduction in processes. Students will learn how to identify and eliminate unnecessary steps through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities.

Instructor(s): William (Billy) Peacock, PE, Harry Kitchens and Montrell Marshall

Date(s): April 8, 2026 (Communiversity)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This class will cover basic design and modeling practices that can be used across all design platforms. The goal of this course is to teach the fundamental skills and concepts to build parametric models, parts, and assemblies and how to make simple drawings of those parts and assemblies. This will be accomplished by using SolidWorks to create 3D models of parts from drawings and within assemblies. These parts will then be assembled in SolidWorks to confirm fitment and create 2D drawings. This will be accomplished over 2 days of hands-on modeling exercises led by a certified SolidWorks professional with industry experience. No prerequisite skills are required, but familiarity with SolidWorks is recommended.

• Sketching
• Part Modeling
• Sub-Assemblies
• Assemblies
• 2D-Drawings

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell and Jonathan Curtis, PE

Date(s): April 8-9, 2026

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$200.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This three day course is taught by Ramesh Gulati, who is the world leader in this area and the author of 'Maintenance & Reliability Best Practices'.

The M&R fundamentals course will boost your technical workforce's understanding of reliability & maintenance principles and help create a sustainable reliability culture to maximize the benefits.

The asset/equipment management practices in any organization determine whether an operation is considered a financial drain or a well-run business unit, which operates utilizing best reliability & maintenance practices to ensure assets reliability, safety, improved productivity, and profits.

• Introduction to Asset Management and It's Business Impact
• Reliability Culture Examples
• Defining Best Practices and Asset performance
• Understanding Maintenance Role - Capacity Assurance
• Workflow and Roles
• Planning & Scheduling
• Materials Management
• Operations Role - Operator Driven Reliability
• Workplace Design - 5S Plus
• Optimizing Maintenance - RCM/CBM
• Designing for reliability and Maintenance
• Improvement Tools (Including 6 Sigma)
• Workforce/People Development Organization, Team Building and Communication
• Current Trends - Lean, Energy & Safety
• Sustaining Reliability and Safety Culture

• Reliability Engineers
• Manufacturing Managers
• Process Engineering
• Maintenance Engineers
• Technicians
• Maintenance and Reliability Managers

Date(s): April 21-23, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$575.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This 1-day introductory workshop provides a comprehensive overview of metal-based additive manufacturing (AM), with emphasis on process fundamentals, technology selection, and integration into existing manufacturing and supply chains. Participants will gain an understanding of the technical capabilities, limitations, and economic considerations associated with adopting metal AM in production environments.

In addition to lecture-based content, the workshop includes a hands-on introduction to equipment workflows for laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and wire arc directed energy deposition (DED). Participants will observe the end-to-end process-from digital file preparation and parameter selection to machine setup and build execution—along with an introduction to common post-processing steps such as part removal, support removal, and surface finishing.

Instructor(s): Matthew Priddy

Date(s): April 21, 2026

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: CAVS-Research - 200 Research Blvd, Starkville, MS

Cost:$375.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This workshop introduces participants to Microsoft Power Automate as a powerful tool for streamlining and digitizing manufacturing workflows. Attendees will learn how to build automated processes that connect data, systems, and people, reducing manual tasks and improving operational efficiency. The curriculum covers flow creation, integration with manufacturing platforms, and real-world use cases such as maintenance tracking, inventory alerts, and production reporting. Designed for professionals in manufacturing and operations, no programming experience is required.

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell, Martin Konrad, Travis Hill and Chase Saunders

Date(s): April 28, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$350.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This hands-on workshop introduces participants to Microsoft Power Apps as a tool for creating custom applications that support smart manufacturing initiatives. Attendees will learn how to design and deploy low-code solutions to streamline data collection, automate workflows, and enhance visibility across production systems. The curriculum covers app development fundamentals, integration with manufacturing data sources, and real-world use cases tailored to industrial environments. No prior coding experience is required, ideal for engineers, technicians, and operations professionals seeking to modernize their processes.

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell, Martin Konrad, Travis Hill and Chase Saunders

Date(s): April 29-30, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$550.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.