The project is creating an innovative educational pathway in mechanical engineering technology that addresses a developing industry need and gives students the competencies needed to succeed in a rapidly developing STEM field. The Mechanical Engineering Technology Advancement (META) project is developing and piloting flexible and adaptive module-based courses that utilize problem-based learning. These courses focus on manufacturing and assembly processes and planning that will ensure that the region's workforce is being equipped with the latest knowledge and skills, particularly in the automotive and aviation fields. The META project advances student learning and workforce preparedness by focusing on the needs of employers in manufacturing and assembly, including the skill sets of project management, production process planning, logistics, and quality. The project engages employer partners and the national SCATE Center, making the project sustainable; its modular nature is ensuring its replicability; and an industry advisory board is also ensuring that problem-based learning scenarios are relevant to today's MET field. The META project is piloting a curriculum delivery innovation with an eye toward a future expansion across disciplines, sharing its flexible curriculum modules and implementation strategies with the SCATE Center, ATE Central and offering a training workshop for other colleges that seek to better meet the demands of employers in engineering technologies.
