Mechatronics Technology Institute

Alamance Community College, Graham NC

Investigators

Abstract

Because manufacturing in the United States has transitioned from traditional models to advanced manufacturing, community college manufacturing programs must evolve to meet these changing industry environments. Increasingly industries require a multi-skilled technician such as those with a Mechatronics degree, which blends mechanical and electrical engineering technology with computer control and information technology. To address these current and emerging needs, Alamance Community College (ACC) will partner with local high schools and advanced manufacturing industries in North Carolina to prepare a qualified mechatronics trained workforce through an initiative called the Mechatronics Technology Institute (MechTech Institute). This project is designed to build a mechatronics workforce pipeline by increasing the awareness of and preparation for opportunities in mechatronics of high school students. The concept and design of the MechTech Institute was inspired and informed by successful NSF-ATE-funded models addressing student recruitment into and preparation for career opportunities. Through impacting Alamance-Burlington School System instructors and counselors and approximately 720 students, the MechTech Institute will contribute to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and teacher development.. It will also help address the need for stable, well-paid employment in Alamance County and surrounding regions by working with industry partners and county high schools to build a sustainable pipeline of qualified students from public high school through college into the mechatronics workforce. It will serve as an integral piece of a larger mechatronics technician education initiative at the college involving curriculum development, capital expansion, and student recruitment and support. An experienced evaluator from UNC-Greensboro SERVECenter will determine the impact and effectiveness of the project. Information and products will be freely disseminated with educational institutions, training providers, and economic and workforce development stakeholders to benefit the advanced technological education community in the country. The project goals will be achieved by providing professional development to high school STEM instructors and counselors through: 1) one-day workshops during the school year and a week-long summer workshop, each providing participants with mechatronics materials and equipping them to integrate mechatronics-based lesson plans, project kits and hands-on activities into their STEM classes, 2) exposure to the mechatronics workplace through industry tours, speakers, and makers-guild events, and 3) an online resource community providing participants with ongoing support. The Institute will incorporate into each component the best practices, lessons learned, and data gathered from similar NSF-ATE projects. Proven elements of these models such as hands-on and activity-oriented learning, STEM/mechatronics content integration, the leveraging of technology for educational engagement, and real-world industry experiences will be adapted and employed to serve the needs of students through the development of these skills in high school instructors. The industry-exposure component is also based on similar recent and current NSF-funded project models which have reported significant benefits to participant and student awareness and interest from features such as guided workplace tours and demonstrations and face-to-face interactions with members of the current workforce. The MechTech Institute will seek to adapt these features to the particular business and industry environment and student populations in the county to maximize the impact of this component to increase student awareness and interest in mechatronics education and career paths. The online resource community to be established as part of the MechTech Institute follows well established NSF-funded precedents which have already been integrated into Alamance County Schools policy in the form of Professional Learning Communities. The MechTech Institute online resource community will have an even greater impact as part of a larger teacher-development initiative designed to meet the critical need for on-going participant support, a forum for sharing best practices, and a direct means for gathering and implementing feedback.