Developing New Academic Pathways for the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Workforce

高级制造技术人员课程为学生提供了在采用新的自动化和机器人技术的制造公司从事技术职业的途径。密苏里中部地区对制造技术人员的需求持续增长。然而，拥有先进制造技术技能的合格技术人员的供应并没有跟上这一需求。该项目解决了增加进入并成功完成先进制造技术学位和证书课程的学生数量的需求。项目团队将与地区工业界合作，开发先进制造的基础课程，并修订多个技术学位课程的现有课程。学生将有机会获得国家认可的认证。该项目将为该地区的农村高中学生提供新的技术教育机会，包括可以在高中学习的新的先进制造课程，以及使用新的先进制造设备的实践培训。将为中学教师提供讲习班和指导，使教师能够将先进的制造概念融入他们的高中课程。来自密苏里州中部农村地区的学生将有一条新的途径来帮助他们追求制造业的技术职业，从而改善他们的经济状况。该项目的目标是增加高级制造技术人员途径的学生数量，以满足区域工业对熟练技术人员的需求。该项目将：(1)加强教育证书和技术学位，引导先进的制造技术人员职业生涯；(2)让中学生参与活动，提高对技术人员职业机会的认识；(3)通过培训高中教师来建立提供双招生课程的能力；(4)鼓励坚持和完成先进制造的教育证书。区域行业顾问将提供指导，指导学生需要哪些行业认证，以及哪些工业4.0概念和技能应该融入技术学位课程。该计划将为中学生提供创造性的实践学习机会，例如夏令营，让他们从事技术职业。高中教师将通过研讨会接受培训和认证，其中包括先进制造技术的实践培训。高中教师将开设双招生课程，帮助中学生进入高级制造技师的道路。利用机构数据和学生调查，项目团队将评估项目活动对学生完成认证和进入技术人员队伍的学生人数的影响。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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Advanced manufacturing technician programs provide pathways for students to pursue technical careers in manufacturing companies that are adopting new automation and robotics technologies. The demand for manufacturing technicians in the central Missouri region continues to grow. However, the supply of qualified technicians with skills in advanced manufacturing technologies has not kept pace with this demand. This project addresses the need to increase the number of students entering and successfully completing technician degree and certificate programs in advanced manufacturing. In collaboration with regional industry, the project team will develop a foundational course in advanced manufacturing and revise existing courses in multiple technology degree programs. Students will have the opportunity to obtain nationally recognized certifications. The project will provide rural high school students in the region with new technical education opportunities including new advanced manufacturing courses that can be taken at high schools and hands-on training with new advanced manufacturing equipment. Workshops and mentoring for secondary school teachers will be provided so that teachers can integrate advanced manufacturing concepts in their high school courses. Students from rural areas in central Missouri will have a new pathway to help them pursue a technical career in manufacturing that improves their economic situation.The goal of this project is to increase the number of students in advanced manufacturing technician pathways to meet the demand for skilled technicians in regional industry. This project will: (1) enhance educational certificates and technician degrees that lead to advanced manufacturing technician careers, (2) engage secondary students in activities to raise awareness of technician career opportunities, (3) build capacity for offering dual enrollment courses by training high school teachers, and (4) encourage persistence and completion of educational certificates in advanced manufacturing. Regional industry advisors will provide guidance on which industry certifications are needed by students and which Industry 4.0 concepts and skills should be integrated in the technician degree programs. The project will provide creative hands-on learning opportunities such as summer camps for secondary students to engage them in technical careers. High school teachers will receive training and certifications through workshops that include hands-on training with advanced manufacturing technologies. Dual enrollment courses will be offered by high school teachers to help secondary students enter advanced manufacturing technician pathways. Using institutional data and student surveys, the project team will assess the impact of the project activities on student completion of certifications and the number of students who enter the technician workforce. 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.