Rowan College at Burlington County, in partnership with Rowan University, is conducting the project entitled "Comprehensive Integration of Advanced Manufacturing Competencies throughout an Associates Degree and a Stackable Certificate Curricula." The motivating rationale for this project stems from direct observations and experiences supporting the fact that there is a tremendous regional and national need for graduates to possess the skills and competencies valued by industry. This project leverages past NSF-funded work as well as new workforce development initiatives to emphasize the critical skills and competencies needed to support advanced manufacturing curricula and industry.
The goals of this project are to strengthen and expand an Engineering Technology program and to serve as a conduit for the creation of programs and educational pathways that address unmet training needs and the needs of emergent high growth industries, both in the region and nationally. These goals will be accomplished by highlighting technical and non-technical skills across the curriculum, by developing an applications library that will serve as a curriculum resource to incorporate direct examples of relevant principles, by creating and strengthening industrial advisory committees, and by creating new advanced manufacturing educational pathways including degree and certificate programs, and facilities. This project involves the close collaboration between educational, industrial, and professional partners to develop flexible educational pathways, a comprehensive and strategic regional network, and a clearinghouse of accessible and effective resources, all for the purpose of preparing students to meet the needs of advanced manufacturing employers.
