Alignment of Educational Pathways in Alignment of Educational Pathways in Indiana’s Four-Year Institutions with the Indiana’s Four-Year Institutions with the

NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System Certification System

Nathan HartmanScott Hutcheson

Purdue University

Why Is Manufacturing Important to the United Why Is Manufacturing Important to the United States (and Indiana)?States (and Indiana)?

• It will be extremely difficult for the United States to balance its trade account without a healthy manufacturing sector.

• Manufacturing is a key driver of employment growth and source of high-paying jobs for individuals at many skill levels.

• Manufacturing is the principal source of R&D and innovation activity.

• Manufacturing and services sectors are inseparable and complementary.

• Manufacturing is vital to U.S. national security.

Ezell, S.J. & Atkinson, R.D. (2011). The case for a national manufacturing strategy. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

US Manufacturing Remains Strong, but…US Manufacturing Remains Strong, but…

Source: Facts About Modern Manufacturing, 8th Edition/The Manufacturing Institute

How Is the State of Indiana Doing?How Is the State of Indiana Doing?

Source: Center for Business and Economic Research: www.bsu.edu/cber

Indiana’s Manufacturing Career Pathway Indiana’s Manufacturing Career Pathway OpportunitiesOpportunities

Indiana’s Manufacturing Career Pathway Indiana’s Manufacturing Career Pathway OpportunitiesOpportunities

Education Can Address Some of these Education Can Address Some of these ChallengesChallenges

Sample Pathway ModelSample Pathway Model

Education Level Job Role

High school Diploma General Laborer / Assembly work

High School Diploma + CertificateSkilled Assembly (e.g., electrical, hydraulic, mechatronics)

Associate Degree Machinist

Associate Degree + CertificateCNC Operator/Tooling Programmer (specialist)

Baccalaureate DegreeEngineer/Designer (e.g., machine/tool design; quality control, production management)

Masters DegreeProduction manager/Logistics and Supply Chain Manager /Master Scheduler

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

• What are our current manufacturing-related assets?• What issues do we need to address?• How do we better deploy, link, and leverage our assets?• What actions do we need to take?

What Are Our Current Manufacturing-What Are Our Current Manufacturing-Related Assets?Related Assets?

• What manufacturing-related programs of study do we have currently?

• In which manufacturing-related educational pathways do we participate now?

• What manufacturing outreach programs are working well?

• What mechanisms do we have interaction with the manufacturing industry?

• What career awareness and student recruitment strategies are we employing?

What Issues Do We Need to Address?What Issues Do We Need to Address?

• What are our most significant articulation issues?• What are some the ways we could be better

aligned (within our own institutions, with each other, with other stakeholders)?

• Other issues?

How Do We Better Deploy, Link, & Leverage How Do We Better Deploy, Link, & Leverage our Assets to…our Assets to…

• Create a better integrated educational pathways system?

• Integrate version 2.0 credentials into our educational pathway and degree programs?

What Actions Do We Need to Take?What Actions Do We Need to Take?

• Within our own institutions?• With policymakers?• With the workforce development system?• With other educational partners?• With each other?