IOT Diploma Program: Enrolling Now
What is Industrial Operations Technology?
It's the training behind keeping manufacturing facilities, utilities, and logistics centers running. Make things work. Keep them working.
Curriculum & credentials
Stage 1
Foundation
Mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems.
Stage 2
Advanced
Robotics, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), automation controls, smart sensors, industrial wiring, and motor controls.
Stage 3
Credential
Every graduate earns the diploma including credentials with each course through the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) – industry-recognized credentials built into the program, not an optional add-on.
Every course, in detail
The diploma is 15 courses and 53 credit hours — 12 program courses plus 3 general education courses. See exactly what each course covers and which industry credential it prepares you for.
More than one way in
The diploma isn't the only option. OTC also breaks the same curriculum into three standalone certificates, so you can start smaller, or focus on just the part of the job you're after.
Certificate: Electrical/Mechanical
Focused on the electrical and mechanical side of the curriculum.
View catalog page →Careers this prepares you for
Stick with it and there's room to move up, into production supervisor or operations manager roles.
What the job looks like
Keeping things moving
Installs, troubleshoots, and repairs manufacturing machinery, equipment, and controls.
Fixing what breaks
Diagnosing a problem by watching a machine run, then replacing the bad part: motors, conveyors, transmissions, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
Electrical and controls work
AC/DC circuit troubleshooting, industrial wiring, motor controls, and programming/troubleshooting PLCs, the "brains" behind automated equipment.
Reading blueprints and schematics
Understanding how a machine goes together or how a system is wired.
Preventive maintenance
Scheduled inspections, lubrication, and adjustments make up a huge share of the actual job, not just emergency repairs.
Precision measurement and adjustment
Checking part dimensions with calipers and gauges, calibrating equipment, running metalworking machines to make replacement fittings.
Jobs & pay after graduation
Mid-$30ks to low-$40ks
Entry-Level Maintenance Technician
$55k – $75k
Experienced Maintenance and Operations Technician
$75k – $100k+
Automation and Controls Specialist and Supervisor
Time to complete
Four semesters.
Approximate cost
$9,500 before financial aid such as the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, and Pell Grant funds are applied.
Student FAQ
When does the program start?
The Industrial Operations Technology diploma program is open for enrollment now, with new students starting each semester.
Do I need any experience to start?
No. The program is built for people coming into the field, whatever their background. You start with the fundamentals — mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems — and move on to robotics, PLCs, and automation controls from there.
How do I apply?
Applications go through Ogeechee Technical College — any of the Apply Now buttons on this page take you straight there. Admissions will walk you through what's needed. If you'd rather talk to a person first, Jan Moore is the program contact: jmoore@ogeecheetech.edu, 912-688-6026.
Where will classes be held?
Classes begin in the Industrial Technology Building on Ogeechee Tech's main campus, the college's existing robotics facility, and move into GTCIO's new building once it opens. The grand opening is scheduled for October 15, 2026.
Is this an online program?
Some lectures are available online, but labs are not. Skills are acquired through hands-on labs at Ogeechee Tech.
How long does it take to finish?
The entire program can be completed in four semesters.
How much does the program cost?
The program costs approximately $9,500 before financial aid — such as the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, and Pell Grant — is applied.
What credential do I earn?
Every student who completes the diploma earns micro-credentials through SACA (the Smart Automation Certification Alliance). Four SACA credentials are built into the program for all graduates, and they are recognized industry-wide, not just in Georgia.
Should I do the diploma or one of the certificates?
The diploma is the full program, and every diploma graduate is credentialed through SACA. The three certificates — Electrical/Mechanical, PLC, and Robotics — break the same curriculum into smaller pieces, so you can start smaller or focus on just the part of the job you're after. All four options are listed under "More than one way in" above.
How much can I expect to earn after graduating?
Most graduates start in entry-level or operator roles and grow from there. The pay ranges are listed above: mid-$30ks to low-$40ks starting out, $55k–$75k for an experienced maintenance and operations technician, and $75k–$100k+ for an automation and controls specialist and supervisor.
Sign up today, and we'll see you here!
This is a non-traditional program
OTC classifies Industrial Operations Technology as a non-traditional program — one where a single gender makes up less than 25% of the field's workforce, which today mostly means women. OTC supports students pursuing careers in under-represented fields; here are a few places to start: