Partnership With Industry To Offer A Professional Certificate In Robotic Automation

The Electrical Engineering Technology program in the School of Technology at Michigan Technological University is collaborating with Fanuc Robotics to offer a professional certificate in Robotic Automation. This certificate represents a good model of collaboration between industry and academia. Robotic automation is on the leading edge of manufacturing today and FANUC Robotics is the industry leader. Also, the demand for electrical and computer engineering technologists who are equipped with skills in robotic automation continue to rise. To effectively meet the next generation’s workforce needs of skilled robotic automation technologists, the electrical and computer engineering technology curriculum must be current, relevant, and teach skills that is widely needed in industry. To meet this goal, the School of Technology is stepping up to this challenge and collaborates with Fanuc Robotics to develop robotic automation curriculum and offer industrial certificate in robotic automation. The electrical engineering technology program will utilize Fanuc Robotics certified education robot training program (CERT) which is available to qualified university with a goal and commitment to the development of the engineering knowledge base and attracting young people to the robotic automation field. The Certified Education Robot Training (CERT) program is a new certification available to qualified high schools, community colleges, and universities. The program will certify faculty member to train our students to program FANUC robots. The School of Technology purchased two industrial robots utilizing the significant educational discount available through Fanuc CERT program. This paper describes the development and implementation of a new professional certificate in robotic automation at the electrical engineering technology program in collaboration with Fanuc Robotics. The development includes course material in industrial Robotics and establishing robotic automation lab in partnership with Fanuc Robotics CERT program.