STC graduate helps shape AI future in manufacturing

Just one year after graduating high school, recent South Texas College graduate Andrea Leal is already helping shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing.

Leal, who earned a certificate in Mechatronics through STC’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) program earlier this month, was recently among six students selected to present their final projects from the college’s AI in Manufacturing course to regional partners and industry leaders.

Now in an internship with Binary Technologies, a local business that designs and manufactures industrial equipment for companies, Leal said her goal in her presentation was to highlight how STC students are using AI to solve real-world manufacturing challenges.

From predictive maintenance to quality control and inventory forecasting, Leal said STC has helped put her at the forefront of a brand-new frontier for manufacturers as they begin to look at applications for AI in industry.

“I may not have all the experience yet, but through STC I have the knowledge,” Leal said. “There are a lot of opportunities that have opened up and through AI, those opportunities are only going to get bigger.”

Leal said she discovered the AMT program shortly after graduating high school while searching STC’s website for career options.

Inspired by family members who worked in manufacturing, she immersed herself in the program despite initially feeling intimidated as the only female in her classes at the time.

“I was lost. I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I saw Mechatronics and Robotics on the homepage of the website and thought that it seemed interesting. It was only a one-year certificate, so I decided to try it.”

STC faculty members say Leal’s journey reflects rapid evolution taking place within manufacturing education as AI becomes increasingly integrated into the industry.

During her presentation, Leal’s project to industry professionals focused on predictive maintenance for electric motors. Using data such as temperature, torque, RPMs, sound and vibration, her team trained an AI model designed to predict when equipment might fail before a breakdown occurs.

With her presentation partner, they then created a mobile app where they gathered data and trained the AI so it could predict when something was going to fail, Leal said.

“Students, including Leal learned the entire process of applied artificial intelligence, from problem scoping all the way to deployment. That’s what matters most,” said AMT Department Chair Erika Guerra.

The project drew significant interest from local manufacturers attending the presentations, many of whom are at different levels with automation and AI and still exploring how AI can be incorporated into their operations, Guerra said.

She added that industry representatives are eager to collaborate with students like Leal after seeing firsthand how applied AI could improve efficiency, reduce waste and support predictive maintenance efforts.

“Some companies are just now realizing how AI can help them,” Guerra said. “Once they saw the student presentations, it immediately clicked for them.”

The AI in Manufacturing course launched through a partnership between STC and Intel's AI for Workforce, is helping position the college to be among the first institutions in the region to offer applied AI training specifically for manufacturing students.

Leal said the skills she gained at STC are already helping her in the workplace as she shadows engineers, assists with automation projects and works with sensors, electrical panels and safety systems.

“If you are a student entering this field, you have to put one foot in front of the other and just go for it, even if it looks scary or intimidating,” Leal said. “A lot of big opportunities are on the way and thanks to STC I feel that I am positioned perfectly to make the most of it.”