The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute today announced that three educational organizations have been evaluated and selected to receive the ARM Endorsement for academic program excellence, providing the skills and competencies needed to prepare workers for careers in manufacturing working with robotics and automation. These are the first programs to be evaluated through the program.
“The ARM Institute is delighted to recognize these stellar programs and institutions that are doing an outstanding job preparing the manufacturing workforce for robotics and automation jobs,” stated Linda Wood, senior certification manager at the ARM Institute. “Our endorsement program makes it easy for education or job seekers to find the programs that best prepare them for a rewarding career in advanced manufacturing.”
The ARM Institute is a public-private collaborative intended to strengthen the U.S. industrial base and secure U.S. manufacturing resiliency with robotics and workforce innovation. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pittsburgh-based organization was founded in 2017. Its members include startups, research universities, community colleges, manufacturers of all sizes, government agencies, and workforce development organizations, and more.
About the ARM Endorsement Program
The ARM Institute said its new endorsement program involves a thorough process to identify the best organizations offering education that meets or exceeds advanced manufacturing job requirements.
The institute said its 300 members developed and validated the program, giving equal voice to manufacturers, education providers, and government needs.
The ARM Endorsement Program draws upon a competency and skills framework that supports a career pathway in robotics and manufacturing. The ARM Institute said its endorsement criteria are comprehensive, evaluating both organizations and their programs based upon the following benchmarks:
- Relevance to the industry
- Effective curriculum
- Efficiency of the training
- Impact of the program
- Program sustainability
- Transportability
ARM Institute awards first three endorsements
According to the ARM Institute, the three organizations receiving ARM Institute Endorsements are:
Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School
Columbus, Ohio-based Horizon Science Academy (HSA) Columbus High School is a public charter school for students in grades 9 through 12. The school opened in the fall of 1999 and has graduated over 1,040 students.
HSA’s mission is to prepare students for college and/or careers by creating an effective learning community with high expectations and a rigorous curriculum focused on math, science, and technology, said ARM. HSA is an accredited college preparatory high school sponsored by Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West.
HSA has been recognized as an “excellent” school by the Ohio Department of Education, receiving a National Blue Ribbon School Award in 2012. It was also recognized as a leading STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) school by Cognia in 2020.
The student body is culturally diverse. The ethnic breakdown is 87% Black & African American, 6% Hispanic & Latino, 2% Multiracial, 3% White, and 2% Asian. Moreover, 100% of the students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Wichita, Kan.-based Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology is a public community college. Its associate degree program is designed to produce technicians who have mastered the skills necessary to design, assemble, install, program, troubleshoot, and maintain robotic and automated equipment.
Graduates will also have the depth and breadth of knowledge that comes from general education, said WSU Tech.
WSU Tech's robotics program was formally launched in fall 2012. It was researched, developed, and planned via a partnership with WSU’s National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR). NIAR’s Robotics research lab and staff were located at NCAT and provided access to equipment and subject matter experts (SMEs). Other industry-based SMEs were tapped to provide input on the design and implementation of the program.
Wichita State University, BS in Program of Engineering Technology
The Bachelor of Science in Program of Engineering Technology (BSET) and Mechatronics Technology at Wichita State University received the third ARM Endorsement. The BSET program was approved by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) in the 2012 academic year, and it officially began in the fall 2012.
By fall of 2017, the enrollment had increased to 138, and in fall 2018, KBOR approved the Department of Engineering Technology to house the engineering technology program.
The program has four areas of concentration: civil and sustainability, facilities management, engineering technology management, and mechatronics. The BSET with mechatronics technology concentration brings together classroom and applied learning in mechanical, electrical and computer technologies.
These endorsed organizations will be highlighted on RoboticsCareer.org, a federally-funded, free resource for students and workers. Updated on a daily basis, RoboticsCareers.org lists about 10,000 programs from over 1,200 robotics and manufacturing educational organizations in the U.S. and its territories.
Interested parties can learn about and apply for the endorsement program at the ARM Institute's Web site or by contacting [email protected].
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