Automotive Technician Education on Electrified, Automated, and Connected Vehicles

汽车制造商正在加大对北美电池和电动汽车（EV）制造的投资，并将需要更多接受电动汽车、联网自动驾驶汽车（CAV）和自动化系统培训的工人。然而，电动汽车和自动驾驶汽车技术人员严重短缺，特别是在非原始设备制造商（OEM）、供应商和汽车商店。如果不采取干预措施来增加申请人数量和留住员工，劳动力需求将对行业有害。该项目将利用NSF-ATE先进汽车技术资源中心（RCAAT）之前开发的电动汽车证书计划来响应行业需求。课程将根据密歇根州电动汽车就业学院雇主主导的合作（ELC）的年度审查进行调整，使课程的变化与行业的步伐和转型保持一致。该项目将针对就业不足的成年人和中学生，以及目前在先进汽车行业中代表性不足的妇女和少数民族。该项目还将为中学生提供早期就业机会，并扩大与四年制大学的关系，以开发明确的职业道路，使学生能够推进他们的教育和职业。该项目将建立一个新的电动汽车技术副学士学位课程，升级现有的电动汽车证书课程，并开发两个新的CAV和网络安全证书课程。该项目创建了一个共同领导模式，要求管理人员、教师、行业和教育合作伙伴共同开发符合工作场所标准的课程。它还将打破传统的学术孤岛，要求来自不同学科（工程和汽车技术，以及商业和信息技术）的教师一起工作。这一点至关重要，因为网络安全和自动驾驶汽车技术正越来越多地集成到新型电动汽车中。随着教育机构从以机械为基础的工程技术人员教育转向以软件、计算机和电力电子为基础的课程，这一点也很重要。该项目将与高中、工业和大学的教育工作者合作，制定明确的技术人员职业道路，以接受高等教育。该项目还将为高中生开发和实施早期接触活动，向他们介绍先进汽车行业的职业。CAV和网络安全证书课程将以压缩的短期课程形式提供按需劳动力/技术人员教育，将引导学生迅速进入可持续的工资就业。允许现有工人快速提升技能的晋升途径也将成为可能。此外，课程将通过密歇根社区学院协会的混合/虚拟交付合作教育计划（EPiC）联盟平台共享和提供，这将为学习者提供便利和灵活性。EPiC联盟提供了扩大全州潜在人才库培训规模的能力。从长远来看，该项目将使劳动力的性别和种族更加多样化，从而解决技术人员技能差距问题，从而对该地区产生更大的经济影响。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。

Automakers are making increased investments in battery and Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing in North America and will need more workers trained in EV, Connected Automated Vehicles (CAV) and automated systems. However, there is a critical shortage of EV and CAV technicians, especially in the non-original equipment manufacturer (OEM), suppliers, and automotive shops. The workforce need will be detrimental to the industry without interventions to increase the applicant pool and retain employees. This project will leverage the EV certificate program previously developed by the NSF-ATE, Resource Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (RCAAT) to respond to the industry needs. Curricula will be adapted based on an annual review with the Michigan EV Jobs Academy, Employer-Led Collaborative (ELC) so that program changes align with the pace and transition of industry. The project will target underemployed adults and secondary students, in addition to women and minorities who are currently underrepresented in the advanced automotive industry. The project will also provide early exposure to careers for secondary students and expand relationships with four-year universities to develop clear career pathways allowing students to advance their education and careers.This project will establish a new associate degree program in EV technology, upgrade the current EV certificate program, and develop two new certificate programs in CAV and cybersecurity. The project creates a co-leadership model that requires administrators, faculty, industry, and educational partners to co-develop curricula that meets workplace standards. It will also break down traditional academic silos by requiring faculty from different disciplines (engineering and automotive technology, and business and information technology) to work together. This is crucial because cybersecurity and CAV technologies are increasingly being integrated into new EVs. It is also important as educational institutions shift from engineering technician education that is mechanically based to a curriculum that is software and computer and power electronics based. The project will collaborate with educators at high schools, industry, and universities to develop clearly defined technician career pathways to advanced education. The project will also develop and implement early exposure activities for high school students, introducing them to careers in the advanced automotive industry. The certificate programs in CAV and cybersecurity will be offered in a compressed short course format for on-demand workforce\technician education that will lead students quickly into sustainable wage employment. Pathways to advancement that allow existing workers to upskill at a rapid pace will also be available. Additionally, the curriculum will be shared and available via the hybrid/virtual delivery Educational Programs in Collaboration (EPiC) consortium platform through the Michigan Association of Community Colleges, which will provide convenience and flexibility for learners. The EPiC Consortium provides the ability to scale up training with potential talent pools throughout the state. In the long-term, the project will lead to a better prepared workforce that is more gender and racially diverse to address the technician skills gap leading to greater economic impact for the 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.