Designing and Implementing an Industry-aligned Robotics Technician Certificate Program

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A high need exists for robotics technicians in the Central Massachusetts manufacturing and warehousing sectors. To help meet this need, this project will develop a one-year robotics technician certificate program to teach skills sought by regional robotics technician employers. The project will also develop a pathway from existing K-12 robotics outreach programs into robotics technological education. The robotics technician curriculum will be designed in partnership with industry to help students develop technical, communication, and problem-solving skills. Industry involvement will ensure that the robotics technician program meets industry needs. Outreach activities will emphasize recruiting students from underrepresented populations including Latinx students, English language learners, economically under-resourced students, and persons with disabilities. The program design will be shared with other institutions of higher education that are interested in developing robotics technician education. This project will develop and implement a one-year robotics technician certificate program. It will first convene a Business and Industry Leadership Team to help prioritize the skills desired by local employers. It will then use the Developing a Curriculum process to build the curriculum and identify best practices for delivery. Laboratory upgrades will include a programmable, humanoid robot that will support hands-on pedagogy. Professional development for faculty will include a Project-Based Learning workshop and FANUC certification training. Students will be recruited from existing K-12 robotics community outreach programs that already engage a large population of underrepresented students. Thus, the project is expected to strengthen opportunities for students with demonstrated interest in robotics, including students from underrepresented groups, to enter an in-demand career. 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.