Smart Manufacturing Workforce Development Model

PROJECT LEAD: El Camino College PARTNERS: University of California Berkeley, California State University Northridge, University of California Los Angeles, Atollogy, Autodesk, Aerospace, Honeywell, University of California Irvine, University of Southern California PROBLEM STATEMENT: Lack of tools available to assess a business’s readiness to adopt SM technologies and availability of corresponding education and training programs across the country. PROJECT GOAL: To develop a SM Workforce Model that leverages existing education and workforce training systems to develop the workforce needed for SM. TECHNICAL APPROACH: 

• This program will be designed so that any curriculum, training component, or business development tool developed can easily be adopted and customized by organizations nation-wide.

KEY TASKS AND MILESTONES:

• Determine SM core competencies for operators, technicians, engineers and managers
• Create a national inventory of existing SM workforce and education programs from across the country
• Conduct a gap analysis of SM core competencies required by industry and existing SM educational and training programs
• Develop training modules and a certificate program model focused on the incumbent workforce
• Develop an SM awareness campaign for businesses
• Develop SM Career Path with an 18-unit SM post bachelor certificate program with modular classes for K-12, community colleges
• Develop models, test-bed, software and graduate courses for chemical engineering pathway
• Develop SM modular classes for K-12, CC and University
• Integrate SM courses into career pathways

POTENTIAL IMPACT: 

• Once the curriculum is available, the number of SM educated and trained workers will increase and companies will be more likely to adopt SM technologies
• An educational program throughout California that can be replicated at no-or-low cost across the country.
• A bridge to spread information between K-12 districts, community colleges, and 4-year universities –systems that are already well funded