This project addresses a national need for skilled technicians in the advanced manufacturing field of mechatronics. Technicians in this field implement and maintain integrated systems of mechanical devices, electronics, and software that are used to control manufacturing systems. To help meet industry demand for mechatronics technicians, this project will develop multiple academic pathways for students to pursue mechatronics education. Pathways will be developed to will serve incumbent workers in need of upskilling, students enrolled in a degree program, and adult learners who have some college credits. The academic programs will include an integrated employability skills curriculum, adapted from the Necessary Skills Now Network, an ATE Coordination Network. This approach will be designed to support student success on the job.
The goal of this project is to close the manufacturing skills gap, particularly in the central Florida region. Best practices of the Florida Curriculum Frameworks in Engineering Technology will be adapted to create stackable micro-credential programs in mechatronics, with each credential requiring less than 12 credit hours. The integration of soft skills into the mechatronics program will help ensure that the students have the skills needed for long term success on the job and advancement in their careers. The project will upgrade equipment in mechatronics labs so that students can be trained on systems that they will encounter in the workplace. In addition to needing well-trained mechatronics technicians, industry also has a critical need for a greater number of these skilled technicians. To this end, the project’s recruiting activities will include a focus on adult students who could complete one or more of the training pathways and perform well in mechatronics technician positions. Such individuals can broaden participation in the mechatronics workforce. 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.
