Industrial Maintenance Automation Technician Education

随着先进制造业变得越来越复杂，其劳动力需求也发生了变化。今天，先进制造业要求工人能够在先进设备和自动化系统上执行复杂的维护和维修程序。受过必要培训来从事这项工作的人越来越少。该项目将帮助解决对工业维护自动化技术人员的需求，开发一门课程，引导学生获得应用科学副学士学位和行业认可的认证。该项目将形成新的行业合作伙伴关系，预计将导致学生的行业实习，教师的专业发展，以及该机构的设备采购。与佛罗里达州高级技术教育中心、当地行业雇主、中学教师和中学后技术教育工作者的合作伙伴关系将为该项目提供信息，并支持培养满足当地行业劳动力需求的高技能和认证技术人员的目标。这个项目还打算成为学生在高中开始获得大学学分的催化剂。在整个德克萨斯州，熟练的工业自动化维护技术人员的预计增长为28.2%；德克萨斯州中北部地区的预计增长为35.5%。这种高就业增长前景，加上现有教育项目的有限供应，是该项目的驱动力。为此，该项目将扩大课程范围，开发一项课程，使学生获得AAS学位并获得行业认可的认证，并通过提供行业实习为学生工作做好准备。在攻读AAS学位的同时，学生将发展实践技能，并获得可堆叠的、国家认可的认证。在这个基础上，学生可以直接进入劳动力大军或转到当地大学，以获得更多的工程技术领域的大专学位。该项目的课程有多个出入口点，也将为希望提升技能的现有行业技术人员打开培训之门。该项目有可能产生一种可在多个学科中复制的熟练技术教育模式。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

As the advanced manufacturing industry has become increasingly sophisticated, its workforce needs have changed. Today, advanced manufacturing requires workers who can perform complex maintenance and repair procedures on advanced equipment and automation systems. Individuals with the necessary training to perform this work are increasingly scarce. This project will help to address the need for industrial maintenance automation technicians by developing a curriculum that leads students to an Associates of Applied Science degree and industry-recognized certifications. The project will form new industry partnerships that are anticipated to lead to industry internships for students, professional development for faculty, and equipment procurement for the institution. Partnerships with the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center, local industry employers, secondary faculty, and post-secondary technical educators will inform the project and support the goal of educating highly skilled and certified technicians that meet the workforce needs of the local industry. This project also intends to serve as a catalyst for students to start earning college credit in high school. Across Texas, the projected increase for skilled industrial automation maintenance technicians is 28.2%; the projected increase in the North Central Texas region is 35.5%. This high job growth outlook coupled with the limited supply of available education programs is the driving force for this project. Towards that end, the project will expand course offerings and develop a curriculum that leads to an AAS degree with industry-recognized certifications, and prepares students for work by providing industry internships. While pursuing an AAS degree, students will develop hands-on technical skills and earn stackable, nationally recognized certifications. From this base, students can enter the workforce directly or transfer to local universities to earn additional post-secondary degrees in Engineering Technology fields. The project's curriculum with multiple entry and exit points will also open the door to training for incumbent industry technicians who want to upgrade their skills. The project has the potential to produce a model for skilled technical education that can be reproduced across multiple disciplines. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.