This project is forming a broadly-based partnership in Pennsylvania to grow a technically trained workforce for a steadily expanding robotics industry. The project is: 1. Adding a Robotics Certificate program and a Robotics Engineering Technology Associate Degree program to the Pennsylvania Community College system with articulation agreements that lead to a baccalaureate degree designed to support advanced manufacturing and robotics industry statewide; 2. Providing advanced technical training to high school and college faculty in robotics systems; 3. Implementing "college in the high school programs" enabling high school students to receive college credits in electronics, parametric solid modeling, programming, and robotics engineering; 4. Offering a Robotics Technician Certificate to workers demonstrating entry level job readiness; 5. Improving the quality of students pursuing Technology Education, Engineering Technology, and Engineering undergraduate degrees by improving high school teacher competency; and 6. Assessing the impact the Robotics Corridor Project has on growth of students' and teachers' mathematical competency, a skill critical to technicians today.
The Heinz Foundation is a major contributor to the project, which is impacting about 10 college faculty, 300 high school teachers, 1,000 undergraduate students, and 6,000 high school students.
