Improving and Modernizing Machinist Training and Education for Machining Workforce Preparation in the Finger Lakes Region of New York

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Machining is an essential component of the manufacturing process that has played a significant role in every industrial revolution. Machinists, as machine tool operators, are important members of the skilled technical workforce, and require long-term and professional training or education. As many new concepts and technologies are being introduced in the machining industry to satisfy the requirements of Industry 4.0, the corresponding revision of machinist training must also take place. This project will improve and modernize existing machinist training and education in response to the new requirements of the machining industry in the era of Industry 4.0. It is expected that the local machining industry, an important economic pillar of the Finger Lakes region in New York State, will benefit significantly from increasing the pool of available skilled workers and meeting the new demands of machining knowledge and skills.The overall goals of this project are to 1) improve existing machining training and education programs in response to the skill and knowledge requirements of 21st century interdisciplinary themes, 2) modernize existing machinist training and education using innovative methods and advanced technologies to improve trainee engagement and learning efficiency, 3) expand the machining workforce by increasing the accessibility and flexibility of machinist training and education to various stakeholders, and 4) facilitate machinist training/education interworking and resource sharing among training providers. All project results will be disseminated throughout New York State as well as the entire United States through collaborations with New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) of New York State to maximize their impact. 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.