Boosting New Careers in Advanced Manufacturing Industries

Because advanced manufacturing in the United States continues to evolve rapidly, highly skilled technicians are needed to operate and maintain these modern manufacturing facilities. In particular, the Texoma (northeast Texas Oklahoma area) worker shortage in the advanced manufacturing sector is severe enough to short-circuit both its own rebound and its contributions to local economic growth. This project at Grayson College in Texas evolved following a 2015 study commissioned by the regional workforce board and area economic development corporations that was designed to identify best practices which could be replicated to prepare the next generation of employees for advanced manufacturing careers. In collaboration with the Texoma Manufacturing Steering Committee, which is comprised of 30 industry and educational members, it is designed to expand the pipeline of skilled employers by implementing the New Blue Academy, a comprehensive career awareness and advanced technological education initiative targeting dual enrollment high school students in rural north Texas. During this project, perceptions of middle-skill jobs will be enhanced through the promotion of technical careers among 9,200 high school students in the Texoma area. It will boost the ATE pipeline by developing an industry-designed dual-credit ATE curriculum offered in 21 high schools that will permit students to simultaneously jump-start their college education and a career. Successes will be shared with community colleges through conferences and social media sources, such as the ATE Conference, Mentor Connect, Hi-TEC, and ATECentral.net. 

Upon completion of the program a student will receive 41 college credit hours, a Basic and an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Certificate, an experiential internship, and potential employment with an industry partner. A plan to incentivize employers and students to complete the remaining 19 hours for an A.A.S. Degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technologies will be developed. Objectives are to: 1) change perceptions of middle-skill jobs and promote technical career opportunities among high school students, teachers, and parents; 2) design and implement an industry-driven curriculum that addresses common technical skills across multiple manufacturing environments; and, 3) pilot the dual-credit New Blue Career Pathway with two high school partners, beginning in the tenth grade and culminating with an internship the summer following high school graduation. Curricular materials will be adapted from two ATE funded programs (the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center and the 360 Degree Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence in Michigan) as well as those available from the database of state approved courses in the Texas Workforce Education Course Manual. Existing manufacturing activities will be broadened to promote ATE career awareness events among high school instructors, counselors, and parents. The established steering committee will ensure ongoing input into the array of elements to be implemented. Evaluation will be guided by an experienced, external evaluator who will: 1) examine the success of the project in relation to benchmarks achieved by existing ATE models; 2) analyze the impact of awareness and recruitment efforts; and 3) measure student success as its relates to completion, competency, and employability.