Preparing Advanced Manufacturing Technicians for Industry 4.0 in Rural Western Kentucky

智能制造，通常被描述为工业4.0，是一个不断增长的领域，指的是通过使用数字连接的系统和过程来实现制造和自动化的下一代集成。过去三年，肯塔基州西部的制造商迅速加快了对这些最新一代技术的采用，以应对新冠肺炎疫情带来的挑战。这导致了对工业技术人员的需求，这些技术人员在安装、维护和维修相互关联的制造系统和设备方面具有明显更高的技能水平。在肯塔基州西部的农村，这是一个重要的问题，在那里，制造业工作可以提供比许多其他职业更高的收入。农村地区与城市地区争夺工业雇主，不能因为缺乏熟练的技术劳动力而冒着制造商离开的风险。西肯塔基社区与技术学院(WKCTC)的这个为期三年的项目旨在更新其先进制造课程，以满足该地区制造商的需求。该项目将利用一个咨询团队，其中包括行业合作伙伴，以使课程与行业需求保持一致。学生将受益于与先进制造环境相关的修订培训，并在24个月或更短的时间内获得国家认可的可堆叠的行业认证。与该项目相关的教职员工将从专业发展中受益，他们拥有最新的设备和教学方法。由于WKCTC有大量农村学生，他们在追求STEM道路上的代表性不足，该项目有可能扩大STEM劳动力的参与，并产生关于修订的教学方法和更强大的行业和K-12合作伙伴关系为学生为行业就业做准备的程度的新知识。该项目的总体目标是让学生更好地为进入STEM劳动力市场做好准备，同时满足行业对具有数字技能的先进制造技术人员的需求。该项目将更新和加强专门针对先进传感器、机器人和人工智能系统的技术人员培训课程。六项主要活动为项目的执行提供了一个框架。首先是为WKCTC提供培训教师，使他们有资格教授最新一代工业4.0技术课程。第二是更新现有的电气、工业维护和空调技术课程，以满足行业标准。第三是在课程中增加和嵌入相关的、国家认可的行业认证。第四是更新学生实验室设备，以与地区雇主正在使用的设备保持一致，第五是让行业合作伙伴参与课程设计和学生学习。第六，也是最后一点，为高中合作伙伴提供年度研讨会，以提高他们的学生对工业4.0中可供选择的计划、培训和职业选择的认识。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。

Smart Manufacturing, often described as Industry 4.0, is a growing field which refers to next-generation integration of manufacturing and automation through the use of digitally-connected systems and processes. Over the past three years, western Kentucky manufacturers have rapidly accelerated the adoption of these latest-generation technologies in response to challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in the need for industrial technicians with significantly higher skill levels in the installation, maintenance, and repair of interconnected manufacturing systems and equipment. This is an important issue in rural western Kentucky where manufacturing jobs can provide a higher income than many other occupations. Rural areas compete with urban areas for industrial employers and cannot afford to risk a manufacturer leaving due to the lack of a skilled technical workforce. This three-year project at West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) seeks to update its Advanced Manufacturing curriculum to meet the needs of area manufacturers. The project will utilize an advisory team which includes industry partners to align curriculum with industry need. Students will benefit from revised training relevant to the Advanced Manufacturing environment and earn nationally-recognized, stackable industry certifications in 24 months or less. Faculty associated with the project will benefit from professional development with updated equipment and teaching methods. Because WKCTC has a high population of rural students who are underrepresented in their pursuit of STEM pathways, this project has the potential to broaden participation in the STEM workforce and generate new knowledge on the degree to which revised teaching methods and stronger industry and K-12 partnerships prepare students for industry employment. The overall goal of the project is to better prepare students to enter the STEM workforce with industry-aligned classwork, while meeting area industry need for digitally-skilled Advanced Manufacturing technicians. The project will update and enhance technician training courses specific to advanced sensors, robotics, and artificial intelligence systems. Six principle activities provide a framework for the project's execution. First is the provision to WKCTC faculty of training so they are qualified to teach latest-generation Industry 4.0 technology curriculum. Second is updating existing Electrical, Industrial Maintenance, and Air Conditioning Technology courses to meet industry standards. Third is to add and embed relevant, nationally recognized industry certifications into coursework. Fourth is updating student lab equipment to align with what is being used by regional employers, and fifth is to engage industry partners in curriculum design and student learning. Sixth, and finally, is offering annual workshops for high school partners to increase awareness of programs, training, and career options in Industry 4.0 available to their students. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program which 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.