Puget Sound Consortium for Manufacturing Excellence

The Puget Sound Consortium for Manufacturing Excellence (CME) is a regional education-industry partnership that is improving the connection between manufacturing technology education, student career goals, and private sector demand. The CME is working with its education partners to modularize manufacturing technology curriculum based on existing, regionally focused industry skill standards. Instruction is seamlessly combined for customization of instruction to students and incumbent workers, and leads to a degree. CME partner colleges and tech-prep programs are using CME modules in their manufacturing and engineering programs. Professional development activities are providing workshops for faculty on the design and use of the modularized curriculum system. The CME is also assisting high schools and colleges in promoting manufacturing career opportunities to students. Through its curriculum and professional development services, the CME is:

-- adapting and organizing already-developed instructional modules to form a manufacturing technology curriculum that is responsive to regional industry skill requirements;

-- developing a Teaching Factory model that develops skills by having students apply classroom instruction to real problems in a work-like setting;

-- training over 30 high school instructors, college faculty, and other instructors on how to utilize the modular curriculum system; and

-- improving curriculum articulation between high schools, community and technical colleges, and 4-year colleges and universities.

The long-term impact of the CME will be more and better skilled manufacturing technology graduates, improved technology instruction, articulation of the curriculum and enhanced coordination among secondary and post-secondary institutions.