Improving Mechatronics Technician Training for the Advanced Manufacturing Industry

弗吉尼亚州的中央劳动力地区正在经历一个训练有素的制造技术人员短缺，由于对工人的需求不断增长，加上退休率不断上升。这一地区的特殊之处还在于，当地制造商采用罗克韦尔自动化系统的比例高于附近地区。通过这个项目，中央弗吉尼亚社区学院（CVCC）将提高机电一体化制造技术人员教育的严格性和能力，重点是可编程逻辑控制器（PLC）。该项目将侧重于通过罗克韦尔自动化PLC维护人员认证来增强CVCC的机电一体化AAS学位课程。这些认证是行业公认的，并受到雇主的重视。通过有针对性的推广，机电一体化计划将与区域中学系统和当地先进制造业密切合作，为中学生提供直接体验机电一体化和先进制造的机会。该项目将通过以下方式支持不断发展的先进制造业的机电一体化技术人员培训：1）加强学生的课程内容和技术经验，2）为技术人员教育者提供全面的专业发展，3）开发教育途径，以支持学生的招聘，保留，从中学到大学都能完成学业。新设备和修订的课程将加强学生的职业途径，从职业教育证书到副学士学位，再到就业。教师将在直接影响技术人员教育的领域接受专业发展，提供必要的培训，以提供对所购买的培训设备的认证测试。行业雇主将与该计划及其学生进行综合咨询。中学生和大学生将参与协作学习机会，以吸引新的人才，并通过夏令营机会和基于问题的联合学习项目来维持机电一体化技术人员管道。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重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价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Central Workforce Region of Virginia is experiencing a shortage of adequately trained manufacturing technicians due to the growing demand for workers coupled with growing rate of retirements. This region is also exceptional in that local manufacturers employ Rockwell Automation-based systems at a higher rate than nearby regions. Through this project, Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) will increase the rigor and competencies of manufacturing technician education in mechatronics with an emphasis on programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This project will focus on augmenting the Mechatronics AAS degree program at CVCC with Rockwell Automation PLC Maintainer Certifications. These certifications are industry recognized and valued by employers. Through targeted outreach, the mechatronics program will work closely with regional secondary school systems and local advanced manufacturing industries to provide middle-school students with the opportunity to directly experience mechatronics and advanced manufacturing. This will build a pipeline to the college to develop and train the workers needed to sustain and grow the sector.This project will support mechatronics technician training for the growing advanced manufacturing industry by 1) enhancing course content and technical experiences for students, 2) providing comprehensive professional development for technician educators, and 3) developing educational pathways to support student recruitment, retention, and completion from middle school to college. New equipment and revised courses will strengthen the students' career pathway from the career studies certificate to the associate degree and into the workforce. Faculty will receive professional development in areas that directly impact technician education by providing the training necessary to offer certification testing on the purchased training equipment. Industry employers will engage with the program and its students in an integrated advisory role. Middle school students and college students will be engaged in collaborative learning opportunities to attract new talent and sustain the mechatronics technician pipeline through summer camp opportunities and joint problem-based learning projects. 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.