Creating Pathways for Technicians in Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technologies

随着增材制造（也称为3D打印）和机器人自动化改变了产品的设计和生产方式，制造业正在经历快速变化。这些变化创造了对机械师和制造技术人员的行业需求，他们能够在制造设施中应用这些技术。然而，专注于这些技术的技术人员课程的毕业生人数没有跟上需求的步伐。需要技术教育计划，帮助学生获得知识，技能和成功应用这些新兴技术的能力。也有机会增加能够提供先进制造业技术教育课程的大学教师的数量。该项目将开发与增材制造和自动化相关的新课程和证书课程，提供行业导师和学生支持服务，以扩大技术劳动力的参与，并为其他机构的教师提供专业发展机会。该项目将为学生在硅谷地区寻求具有职业发展潜力的高薪工作创造途径。该项目的目标是（1）增加能够应用先进设计和制造技术的合格技术人员的数量，（2）提高历史上代表性不足的学生的保留率和成功率，（3）增加有能力提供这一领域技术教育的机构的数量。将对该地区的行业合作伙伴进行调查，以确定先进设计和制造技术人员所需的知识、技能和能力。根据调查结果，将制定新的课程，并修订现有课程，以纳入新的内容。这些课程将用于创建与行业认证一致的多轴计算机控制加工和机器人自动化的新证书。在与行业合作伙伴的合作下，项目团队将开发一个专业的指导计划，其中来自行业的专业人士指导一组来自历史上代表性不足的群体的学生。将开发一个教师专业发展课程，重点是计算机辅助设计，增材制造，多轴加工和机器人自动化。专业发展计划将提供两次，每年为大学制造业教师从旧金山弗朗西斯科湾地区。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于推动国家经济的先进技术领域的技术人员的教育。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The manufacturing sector is undergoing rapid changes as additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) and robotic automation transform the way products are designed and produced. These changes have created an industry demand for machinists and manufacturing technicians who are capable of applying these technologies in manufacturing facilities. However, the number of graduates from technician programs that are focused on these technologies has not kept pace with the demand. Technical education programs are needed that help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully apply these emerging technologies. There is also an opportunity to increase the number of college instructors who are capable of providing technical education programs in advanced manufacturing. This project will develop new courses and certificate programs related to additive manufacturing and automation, provide industry mentors and student support services to broaden participation in the technical workforce, and provide professional development opportunities for instructors at other institutions. This project will create pathways for students to pursue high paying jobs with career advancement potential in the Silicon Valley region.The goals of this project are to (1) increase the number of qualified technicians who can apply advanced design and manufacturing technologies, (2) improve the retention and success of students from historically underrepresented groups, and (3) increase the number of institutions that are capable of offering technical education in this field. A survey of industry partners in the region will be conducted to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for advanced design and manufacturing technicians. Based on the survey results, new courses will be developed and existing courses will be revised to incorporate the new content. These courses will be used to create new certificates in multi-axis computer controlled machining and robotic automation that are aligned with industry certifications. In collaboration with industry partners, the project team will develop a professional mentoring program in which professionals from industry mentor a group of students in the program who are from historically underrepresented groups. An instructor professional development curriculum will be developed that focuses on computer-aided design, additive manufacturing, multi-axis machining, and robotic automation. The professional development program will be offered twice a year for college manufacturing faculty from the San Francisco Bay region. 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.