Smart Manufacturing for Small and Medium Manufacturers in a Predominantly Hispanic Workforce Region

Project Lead: University of Texas at El Paso
Partners: Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), Becton Dickinson and Company, Schneider Electric, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, Delfingen, Keats

Member % Cost Share: 50.02%
CESMII % Cost Share: 49.98%
Duration: 12 Months

Problem Statement

Need to align reconfiguring factories with engineering colleges and technical schools that develop a new SM curriculum to better prepare graduates underrepresented groups for a SM work environment.

Project Goal

To create a SM curriculum and certificate program to attract and grow a SM educated workforce, particularly across a minority group (Hispanic), to help achieve the CESMII goal of ‘participation of underrepresented groups’ in the institute.

Technical Approach

To develop a SM educated Hispanic workforce this proposal will leverage a regional industry, government, and academia partnership for addressing the SM competency based needs to produce a technical workforce with the necessary skill set to implement SM

Key Tasks & Milestones

Task 1: Development of Smart Manufacturing Curriculum

    • Lab installation
    • Develop SM curriculum
    • Program Approval from UTEP COE

Task 2: Deployment of Smart Manufacturing

    • Promote SM Curiiculum and Certificate Program within UTEP COE
    • Work with Workforce Solutions Borderplex for SM program outreach
    • Offer SM certificate courses to registered participants
    • Validate competencies using participation in industry projects

Task 3: Industry Collaborations and Competencies Validation

    • Work with Borderplex Alliance to engage a SM relevant industry consortium
    • Identify potential use cases for performing SM related research
    • Develop Industry Relevant solutions through the SMI lab
    • Deploy solutions at Industry partner locations

Potential Impact

Metrics and Expected Outcomes:

    • Courses developed: 5
    • # of Seminars, Workshops, Conference: 5, 2, 1
    • Expected Outreach – Engineering Students: 800
    • Outreach K-12 – UTEPEXCITES: 100
    • SM Courses – Registered Students: 125
    • SM Certificate Students: 25
    • Industry Use Cases Researched: 4
    • Industry Partners Outreach: 20

Benefits

  • Increase number of SM trained engineers
  • Increase Industry deployment through hands-on exemplar use cases research
  • Increase SM educated workforce to address future manufacturing needs
  • Increase SM supply chain by active promotion and outreach in the region

Project Selection & Announcements

CESMII_RFP
CESMII_RFP

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