Developing an Industrial Maintenance Technician Pathway to an Advanced Technology Degree

俄克拉荷马州就业保障委员会预测，机械工程技术员的年增长率为7.5%，工业机械机械师的年增长率为10%。为了帮助满足这些需求，该项目将开发一条工业维护技术员途径，以培养具有机电经验的工程技术人员。该项目将建立一个由机电和制造业代表组成的商业和工业领导团队，以确保这条途径符合当地雇主的需求。在这一指导下，教师将更新现有课程，获得新的教学设备，并为学生提供灵活的现有制造实验室。这些变化预计将提高工程技术和电子技术专业学生的入学率、保留率和毕业率。通过有针对性的外联和辅导，该项目还旨在提高寻求技术证书或学位的女学生的比例。该项目的目标是增加和扩大对学院技术学位的参与，以满足当地对机电技术人员的需求。为实现这一目标而设计的具体目标包括：1)实施新的工业维护技术员途径，以提高学生的入学率、保留率和毕业率；2)开发灵活的学习实验室，以满足学生的需求；3)扩大行业参与，以促进学生的职业道路；以及4)评估项目的成功，并传播项目成果和经验教训。课程改进将包括开发无损检测和工业机器人课程，以及修订电机控制、可编程逻辑控制、液压和气动课程。新路径将使用可堆叠的证书，允许进入路径的每个级别，从而为需要专门培训才能立即进入劳动力大军的学生和需要从基础知识开始的学生提供服务。国家认可的认证生产技术员培训轨道将作为重要的第一步嵌入其中。随着工商领导团队的到位，行业合作伙伴将密切参与该项目的设计，并将通过提供演讲者、行业参观和其他资源来丰富该项目。该项目、课程和途径的结果将与区域和国家合作伙伴一起传播。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。

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission predicts a 7.5% annual growth in Mechanical Engineering Technician jobs and a 10% annual growth in Industrial Machinery Mechanic jobs. To help meet these needs, this project will develop an Industrial Maintenance Technician pathway to prepare engineering technicians who have electromechanical experience. This project will develop a Business and Industry Leadership Team with representatives from electromechanical and manufacturing industries to ensure the pathway meets the needs of local employers. With this guidance, faculty will update the existing curriculum, acquire new instructional equipment, and provide students with flexible access to the existing fabrication laboratory. These changes are expected to raise enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of Engineering Technology and Electronics Technology students. Through targeted outreach and mentoring, this project also aims to increase the percentage of female students seeking technical certificates or degrees. The goal of the project is to increase and broaden participation in the college's technology degrees to meet the local demand for electromechanical technicians. The specific aims designed to achieve this goal include: 1) implementing a new industrial maintenance technician pathway to increase student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates; 2) developing a flexible learning lab to meet student needs; 3) expanding industry involvement to promote career paths for students; and 4) assessing success of the project and disseminating project outcomes and lessons learned. Curriculum improvements will include developing courses in non-destructive testing and industrial robotics, and revision of courses in motor controls, programmable logic controls, and hydraulics and pneumatics. The new pathway will use stackable credentials that allow entry at each level of the pathway, thus serving students who need specialized training to immediately enter the workforce and students who need to start with the basics. The nationally recognized training track of Certified Production Technician will be embedded as a vital first step. With the Business and Industry Leadership Team in place, industry partners will be intimately involved with the program’s design, and will enrich the program by providing speakers, industry tours, and other resources. The results of the project, curriculum, and pathway will be disseminated with regional and national partners. 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.