A University and Community College Partnership to Meet Industry Needs for Future Workers in Advanced Automotive Technology

The automotive industry has been one of the largest and most important industries in the United States, employing more than 3.3 million Americans. Today the automotive industry is engaged in a transformational change that incorporates a technological shift from the petroleum-powered engine that drove the transportation economy of the 20th Century to the renewable resource based electric powered motor that will sustain the dynamic global economy and environmental assets of the 21st Century. The primary developments are Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), Electric Vehicles (EV), Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) including common rail diesels, and Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV). The impact today and in the long run is an increasing need for trained automotive engineers, engineering technologists and technicians prepared to support every stage of the product life cycle of these new automotive technologies, which requires acquisition of an expanded skill set for each sector of the industry. To keep pace with the demand for new technologies, the university and community college presenting this paper have responded to the changing needs by strengthening communications with industry to clearly define future workforce requirements, and developing and offering technologically progressive training programs. To support the training, the Department of Energy (DOE) has provided funding for developing industry needed vehicle education programs, the Department of Labor (DOL) has provided funding to sponsor training programs, and the State of Michigan Workforce Development Agency (WDA) has collaborated with industry to establish Michigan Academy for Green Mobility Alliance (MAGMA). Through funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT) was established as an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) center to support the partnering work and leading systemic curriculum reform. This paper reviews the education and training programs provided by the University-Community College Partnership in meeting industry needs for future workers in advanced automotive technology.