Project designed to boost access to smart manufacturing education

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Educators in South Carolina and Florida are launching a $4 million Clemson University-based project designed to give students greater opportunity to learn the job skills that are growing in demand as manufacturers embrace smart manufacturing technologies such as robotics and internet-connected machines.

With $4 million in funding from the National Science Foundation, a new project called A2 proposes to build on the success of Clemson University’s Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education using Virtual E-Schools, according to a news release.

CA2VES launched in 2012 to create accessible e-learning material for a nationwide audience to support aviation and automotive technological education, the news release said. This scalable e-learning delivery model integrates classroom and hands-on laboratory experiences for a diverse technician-education audience.

CA2VES is leading the effort and is partnering with Spartanburg Community College, Greenville Technical College, the S.C. Technical College System, and Florida’s Indian River State College, along with several industry partners, including BMW Manufacturing Co., Michelin North America, Lockheed Martin and Upstate SC Alliance.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on education have increased awareness of the need to address the challenges of learning online, not only now but also for potentially disruptive situations in the future, the release said. A2 will allow CA2VES and its partners to develop high-quality, cost-effective e-learning tools for automotive and aviation manufacturing workforce education.

The courses created as part of CA2VES are distributed on EducateWorkforce.com.

The courses, which include several virtual reality simulations, help teach everything from professionalism and teamwork to laser beam machining and computer-aided maintenance. EducateWorkforce.com has reached 50,000 users in 49 states and the District of Columbia since launching in 2012, the release said.

“A workforce that is well prepared in the STEM fields is vital to American prosperity, global competitiveness and national security,” Clemson University President Jim Clements said in the release. “A2 shows how Clemson University is collaborating with technical and community colleges to help build the next-generation of a highly skilled technical workforce.”

Knudt Flor, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Co., said the company is pleased to collaborate on A2.

“A2 will allow the team to curate, design, develop and deploy a relevant and technologically smart online curriculum for the automotive workforce,” Flor said in the release. “Our collective efforts will have an immediate impact on automotive workforce preparedness.”

Tim Hardee, president of the South Carolina Technical College System, said that he was in full support of A2.

“These are the kinds of partnerships spanning across top-tier, four-year higher education institutions, technical colleges, the K-12 system and industry stakeholders that will bring about meaningful change,” he said in the release.