As the manufacturing sector in the United States continues to evolve, the need for a highly skilled workforce is increasing. As a result, the nation is experiencing a critical shortage of trained professionals who have the skills required to function in an advanced manufacturing environment. This project will improve and expand technical training opportunities in advanced manufacturing at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC). As one of the few programs of this kind in the Midwest, this program will provide both the workers that employers are searching for as well as establishing an educational pipeline for students interested in manufacturing. Exploration opportunities for K-12 students will be developed to build interest in manufacturing trades. Students who gain an interest in automation through one of OTCs tours or summer camps will have the opportunity to earn a degree in advanced manufacturing. These will then be qualified to fill one of the high-demand positions in advanced manufacturing available at area employers.
Summary of Grant Proposal
Project Goals
Goal 1
Improve and expand automation and robotics instruction for manufacturing at two-year colleges.
Goal 2
Increase the awareness of automation and robotics career pathways for secondary students.
Program Projects
Automation & Robotics Degree
We developed an Automation & Robotics degree incorporating input from industry partners focusing on programmable automation controllers in the manufacturing process and the development of IT infrastructure to support automated systems.
High School Partnerships
We will develop a secondary to post-secondary talent pipeline, utilizing a layered approach to begin building interest in automation and robotics early in high school. The program will develop a series of experiences that allow secondary students to develop an interest in the field.
Robotics Summer Camp
This introductory camp is designed to provide students with basic knowledge of robotics and an understanding of how automation, cybersecurity, and manufacturing are integrated into our local workforce.