Multiple Academic Pathways for Mechatronics Technicians

该项目满足了国家对机电一体化先进制造领域熟练技术人员的需求。该领域的技术人员实施和维护用于控制制造系统的机械设备、电子设备和软件的集成系统。为配合业界对机电一体化技术人员的需求，本计划将为学生提供多元化的机电一体化教育途径。这些途径将为需要提高技能的在职工人、正在攻读学位课程的学生和有大学学分的成人学习者提供服务。学术课程将包括综合就业技能课程，该课程改编自“必要技能网络”和“ATE协调网络”。这种方法旨在帮助学生在工作中取得成功。该项目的目标是缩小制造业技能差距，特别是在佛罗里达州中部地区。佛罗里达工程技术课程框架的最佳实践将适用于创建可堆叠的机电一体化微证书课程，每个证书需要少于12个学分。将软技能整合到机电一体化项目中，将有助于确保学生在工作中获得长期成功和职业发展所需的技能。该项目将升级机电一体化实验室的设备，以便学生能够在工作场所遇到的系统上进行培训。除了需要训练有素的机电一体化技术人员，工业也迫切需要更多的这些熟练的技术人员。为此，该项目的招聘活动将重点关注能够完成一个或多个培训途径并在机电一体化技术岗位上表现良好的成年学生。这样的人可以扩大机电一体化队伍的参与范围。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。

This project addresses a national need for skilled technicians in the advanced manufacturing field of mechatronics. Technicians in this field implement and maintain integrated systems of mechanical devices, electronics, and software that are used to control manufacturing systems. To help meet industry demand for mechatronics technicians, this project will develop multiple academic pathways for students to pursue mechatronics education. Pathways will be developed to will serve incumbent workers in need of upskilling, students enrolled in a degree program, and adult learners who have some college credits. The academic programs will include an integrated employability skills curriculum, adapted from the Necessary Skills Now Network, an ATE Coordination Network. This approach will be designed to support student success on the job. The goal of this project is to close the manufacturing skills gap, particularly in the central Florida region. Best practices of the Florida Curriculum Frameworks in Engineering Technology will be adapted to create stackable micro-credential programs in mechatronics, with each credential requiring less than 12 credit hours. The integration of soft skills into the mechatronics program will help ensure that the students have the skills needed for long term success on the job and advancement in their careers. The project will upgrade equipment in mechatronics labs so that students can be trained on systems that they will encounter in the workplace. In addition to needing well-trained mechatronics technicians, industry also has a critical need for a greater number of these skilled technicians. To this end, the project’s recruiting activities will include a focus on adult students who could complete one or more of the training pathways and perform well in mechatronics technician positions. Such individuals can broaden participation in the mechatronics 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.