Macomb Community College
Warren, MI
- Employs “seed funding” to encourage adoption of CAAT curricula and development of curricula across the advanced automotive spectrum to support local economic development.
- Leverages strategic partnerships with industry, education, and government to form a single Webbased, interactive source for sharing
- Up-to-date educational resources for advanced automotive technology.
- Latest technology and industry needs in green mobility.
- Prepares students for careers in new and developing advanced automotive technologies through
- Establishment of seamless 2+2+2 educational pathways.
- Integration of STEM concepts into high school curricula.
- Faculty professional development
CAAT Helps Students Shift to Advanced Automotive Technology Careers
CAAT is located in southeast Michigan, home to the largest American automakers, numerous foreign automakers, and more than 270 automotive research and development centers. CAAT focuses on meeting the nation’s need for skilled technicians in advanced automotive technologies. These technologies are shifting the transportation economy from petroleum-powered engines to new vehicle propulsion systems. These new systems include electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles.
CAAT is taking a leadership role in partnering with industry, education, and government to forecast industry needs and position educators for success in preparing technicians to research, design, develop, tool, manufacture, service, and ultimately reuse and recycle these vehicles and their components.
CAAT Leverages Partnerships to Transform Workforce
In response to a national effort to reduce dependence on oil and improve our nation’s trade balance, stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards on new vehicles are in place and more limitations are proposed.
To meet CAFE standards, the U.S. auto industry is developing vehicle propulsion systems that will reduce emissions and meet worldwide customer demands. These new vehicle propulsion systems utilize advanced automotive technologies. The use of these technologies will increase significantly in the near future and they will have implications, such as charging stations and smart grid requirements, for the nation’s electrical infrastructure.
As the use of the advanced automotive technologies grows, the demand for highly trained technical workers, who are already in short supply, is expected to grow too. In the most recent Skills Gap Report – A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce – more than 80% of manufacturing companies reported that they need more highly trained technicians. Thirteen percent of those surveyed were already experiencing severe shortages of skilled technicians. CAAT is engaging key partner organizations that will be leveraged for their broad reach to specific audiences such as industry, community colleges, universities, government agencies, and professional organizations.
These partnerships are essential to deliver the education that will transform the workforce to meet employers’ needs for technicians who possess the knowledge and skills to work with advanced automotive technologies and the infrastructure that supports them.