Returning to " Work
to do for Future Technician Preparation theme", September FLATE Focus,
the National Science Foundation is extremely interested in what technician
education should "look-like" because new and near future advancements
in science, engineering, and technology are changing American industry. The National Science Foundation Advanced
Technological Education (NSF-ATE) program involves partnerships between
academic institutions and industry to promote and execute improvement in the
education of technicians. The ATE
program's focus includes, but is not limited to, advanced manufacturing technologies, agricultural and bio-technologies, energy and environmental technologies, engineering technologies, information
technologies, micro- and
nanotechnologies, security technologies, geospatial technologies, and
applied research on technician education.
An education
structure that assures the appropriate knowledge and skills of technicians within
these sectors is a doubled edged entity.
On one edge, the programs must transfer knowledge and skills to students
so that, upon graduation, they can enter the workforce and immediately
contribute to the industries technical needs.
On the other edge, industry needs are intensifying if not shifting
because science, technology, and engineering are reshaping the way that
industry works. That shift has to
include new or more intense knowledge and skills technicians must bring to the
work place. That new workplace skill set
has many facets. One example with one of
those facets is outlined below.
However, it is initially important to appreciate that particularly in
manufacturing operations new technology imposed on existing industry practices
may not be primarily inserted to improve productivity. Often new process technologies are
fundamentally essential to produce a new product that's previous nonexistence
initially removes any direct improvement in productivity discussion. In that scenario the discussion is centered
on the new knowledge and skills existing and future technicians need to support
the implementation and operation of that new technology. This example reflects that situation.
When FLATE began, 2004, working with the Florida Department
of Education to have the A.S. Degree programs reflect manufacturing in the 21st
century, A.S. Degree electronics programs around Florida were preparing
technicians to work in industry at the component level. This skill set is important but current degree
programs also include skills and knowledge related to subsystem and system
performance. Today electronics
technician education will have to evolve again.
Today's technician is focused on trouble shooting and quality issues for manufactured
devices that utilize single frequency technology such as alternating current
power delivery or digital, on-off, signals. However, advanced electronics
systems are moving to the Florida manufacturer’s production arena. This also means the test of these new multi-frequency
devices such as cell phones, advanced radar, communications, crystal
oscillators, filters, smart speakers, cordless headphones, and other wearable
technologies will become an expected quality control activity. Florida manufacturers have already indicated
that technicians needed to service this sector are not available.
Numerous companies in Florida manufacture high multi-frequency electronic
sub-systems and systems that support the above commercial applications along
with many military systems. Their
products operate in the frequency range of a few tenths to many Gigahertz. Additional products that utilize this
frequency range include global positioning, traditional and 5G Wi-Fi, microwave
ovens, radar and ultra-high frequency satellite interactive communications
systems. A search of A.S. programs on a
national basis returned only one or two scattered courses that addressed any of
the issues facing technicians working in these multi-frequency manufacturing
sectors.
This is a technician Future of
Work issue that is impeding manufacturers right now. The path to lowering this electronics skills
gap generator is clear. The knowledge
technicians will need is resident in the upper division electrical engineering
courses in four-year B.S. engineering colleges.
The challenge is which subset of that body of knowledge has to be merged
into electronics technician education and what skills have to be emphasized to
assure that new technicians will meet manufacturers needs. Although
the :M" was not included in the STE (science, technology,
and engineering) industry reshaping
statement above, trouble shooting and quality control of high multiple
frequency systems and their related subsystems will most likely translate to
additional math skills in the technician's took kit.
As always, the work start with you. The ATE community will
respond to this technician Future of
Work challenge but the more specifics about the skills subset that is actually
required is found within this manufacturing arena is essential. If you work in this sector, what are the
skills you recognize that need to be
blended into electronics technician education.
The National Science Foundation is supporting a major effort right now
to address future technician education issues.
Your input is important and timely.
Please share your thoughts, perceptions, and experience with us,
gilbert@usf.edu. We will listen and
respond.
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