Competency, Community, Career: A technician apprenticeship certificate for advanced manufacturing
Abstract
America’s existing education infrastructure and credentialing framework for technician training is not sufficiently responsive to the rapidly changing needs of advanced manufacturers. Closing the skills gap is a priority for these companies in areas such as advanced robotics and automation, and photonics and electronics integration. Manufacturers need technicians who are knowledgeable about software, machine operations, electronics and control systems. Emerging technologies will increase the demand for highly-trained technicians, and technicians must learn everything from tool operations to complex systems maintenance. Two manufacturing institutes, American Institute of Manufacturing in Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) and Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM), together will create a workforce training and certificate program that can be transferred across industry sectors and is aligned with manufacturers’ ever-evolving demands. This project establishes the Certificate of Apprenticeship Training in Advanced Technologies (CATAT), a unique technician-training certificate that aligns apprenticeship training with industry competency needs. The certificate program, girded by an apprenticeship program and supported by a CoP (Community of Partners), adds advanced manufacturing skill sets into a national workforce-training infrastructure. The certificate program is designed to target three groups: students, veterans and incumbent workers. Each manufacturing institute will collaborate with one or more educational institution(s). AIM Photonics will work with Stonehill College and Bridgewater State University (BSU), and ARM will partner with Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC). Numerous manufacturers and one research center have committed to providing apprenticeship placements for the project and to collaborating with the partners to develop the program, including BAE Systems, General Carbide, MRSI Systems, Stellar Precision Components, Siemens and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Additionally, IEEE will work with AIM Photonics on the project, and has agreed to collaborate on defining credentials, constructing a certificate program, and offering IEEE credits to students who complete the program. AIM Photonics and ARM propose a three-year plan that will produce a comprehensive 15-month apprenticeship training program in support of a highly-skilled manufacturing workforce. This program will teach general and specific manufacturing competencies that demonstrate the interrelatedness of diverse manufacturing sectors. The CATAT curriculum will include: Foundational modules: Foundational modules will lay the groundwork for success in the program and competency in the field; Manufacturing modules: To prepare students for industry experiences and guarantee job placement marketability, they need to develop the knowledge and skills necessary in manufacturing. Institute-specific modules: ARM and AIM Photonics have identified specific skills that competent integrated photonics robotics and technicians will need. These institute-specific courses will build upon foundational skills and industry-wide manufacturing skills, allowing students to specialize in technology that contributes to Industry 4.0. CATAT will establish a sustainable certificate program that is scalable to diverse manufacturing contexts and needs, as well as to emerging technologies. Coordinating ongoing training with the M-USA network will make the programs’ benefits more visible and encourage other manufacturers to adopt CATAT. The program will also train technicians in technology areas that are high priorities for the Department of Defense.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 17, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812890
Entities
People
- Lionel Kimerling
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy