Articulation of Certification for Manufacturing

Engineering Technology curriculum provides wide spread knowledge in problem solving, management of resources, and process planning. Manufacturing is important and has great impact on economic development. Thus, it is imperative to provide pathways for students to pursue careers in the manufacturing field. This paper discusses the development and implementation of articulated college credit for holders of "Louisiana’s Fast Start Program C4M Certification for Manufacturing”. This certification was developed by Louisiana Economic Development – Fast Start Program and is offered by different technical and community colleges in the state. It requires the completion of one year of training on manufacturing oriented topics to include: Introduction to Manufacturing, Tools and Equipment Used in Manufacturing, and Introduction to Fabrication, Process Technology and Machining. Engineering Technology is an applied discipline, and these topics can articulate to 4-year Bachelor of Science programs. The process for awarding college credit for certification for manufacturing is described. The paper provides justification used to map certification for manufacturing curricula to courses in the selected Engineering Technology program. The paper concludes by discussing how to use this articulation to recruit students and devises a data collection plan to track the impact of implementing the articulation of certification for manufacturing on the economic development in the state of Louisiana. Introduction and Background The National Academy of Engineering forecasts that engineers and technologists will continue to operate in a rapidly changing innovation environment.This is compounded by globalization of economies, diversity of social and business groups, multidisciplinary research trends, and cultural and political forces. Engineering systems are of increasing complexity in energy, environment, food, product development, and communications. Hence, it is imperative to introduce engineering and technology practices in undergraduate education, where students can experience the iterative process of designing, analyzing, building and testing. There is a growing importance for engineering practice, but the engineering profession seems to be held in low regard compared to other professions and industry tends to view engineers and technologists as disposable commodities. Engineering Technology prepares graduates with knowledge skills and technical problem solving abilities necessary to success in a wide range of engineering technology disciplines. The specific ABET ETAC student outcomes for Engineering Technology are: a. An ability to select and apply the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of the discipline to broadly-defined engineering technology activities b. An ability to select and apply a knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology to engineering technology problems that require the application of principles and applied procedures or methodologies c. An ability to conduct standard tests and measurements; to conduct, analyze, and interpret experiments; and to apply experimental results to improve processes d. An ability to design systems, components, or processes for broadly-defined engineering technology problems appropriate to program educational objectives e. An ability to function effectively as a member or leader on a technical team f. An ability to identify, analyze, and solve broadly-defined engineering technology problems g. An ability to apply written, oral, and graphical communication in both technical and nontechnical environments; and an ability to identify and use appropriate technical literature h. An understanding of the need for and an ability to engage in self-directed continuing professional development i. An understanding of and a commitment to address professional and ethical responsibilities including a respect for diversity j. A knowledge of the impact of engineering technology solutions in a societal and global context k. A commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement Certification of Manufacturing (C4M) was developed by Louisiana Fast Start to provide a mechanism of stackable credentials to satisfy the growing needs of manufacturers in the state. C4M is: A certificate program that is equivalent to 12 college credit hours. Consists of courses that can be completed in one semester, with topics such as: o Introduction to Manufacturing o Tools and Equipment Used in Manufacturing o Introduction to Fabrication, Process Technology and Machining Incorporates 180 contact hours of class and laboratory work. This research takes a pragmatic approach to develop an articulation of college credit for C4M towards a B.Sc. degree in Engineering Technology. The paper proceeds by discussing the method used to carry out the research. After that it provides a summary of the results. The paper concludes by discussing how to use this articulation to recruit students and devises a data collection plan to track the impact of implementing the articulation of certification for manufacturing on the economic development in the state of Louisiana.