(58) Engineering-Engineering Technology The Consortium for Alabama Regional Center for Automotive Manufacturing (CARCAM) consortium is a self-sustaining regional center consisting of five Alabama community colleges that is providing a skilled automotive workforce within Alabama to support the rapidly expanding automotive manufacturing factories for Mercedes-Benz/Daimler Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota.
Jefferson State Community College, Trenholm State Community College, Central Alabama Community College, Gadsden State Community College and Wallace Community College are partnering with industrial organizations, state workforce development agencies, high schools and universities to provide a comprehensive approach to satisfy employment demands by: 1) Developing and Implementing an Associate Degree in Automotive Manufacturing Technology that includes valid industry-recognized certification tests and credentials; 2) Adapting, developing, testing and implementing curricula materials that prepares students for employment in a "multi-craft" environment with a particular emphasis on automated systems; 3) Serving as a clearinghouse for industrial and relevant educational information; 4) Developing and facilitating faculty development workshops for secondary/postsecondary faculty members based on needs assessments; 5) Monitoring industrial trends and partnering with automotive manufacturing employers to provide updated skills for current workers using delivery anytime/anywhere learning systems, providing internships for students and implementing preferential hiring for program graduates; 6) Developing educational pathways and articulation agreements between high schools, community colleges, and universities for students within Appalachian and Black Belt regions of the state; and 7) Assisting school districts and colleges to effectively use new instructional technology.
The Regional Center is disseminating curricula, best practices, and technical information through websites, publicity and news releases, and presentations at industry/education conferences, workshops and technical papers. CARCAM is serving as a model of how to expand education opportunities to minority, female and first generation college students who reside within economically distressed counties. The Regional Center will be sustained by various revenue sources that include tuition, consortium fees, customized training fees and course development services.
