The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute last week said that it has evaluated and selected seven more training programs to endorse. The ARM Endorsement Program is a thorough evaluation process intended to identify the organizations that most effectively prepare students for careers in manufacturing working with robots.
“Millions of manufacturing jobs may go unfilled in the coming years if we do not work to correct the manufacturing workforce gap,” said Lisa Masciantonio, chief workforce officer at the ARM Institute, in a release.
“Effective training programs are critical to course-correcting, engaging the next generation of manufacturers, and helping to upskill existing workers,” she stated. “The ARM Institute team congratulates these programs on this well-deserved recognition.”
ARM Institute lists criteria, latest endorsements
The ARM Institute said its endorsement program recognizes the nation’s best robotics training programs. With more than 16,700 training programs listed on RoboticsCareer.org, the endorsement guides students to programs that subject-matter experts have vetted.
The Pittsburgh-based institute developed its endorsement program with its national member consortium, giving equal voice to the need of manufacturers, education providers, and government stakeholders.
The ARM Institute said the criteria it used to evaluate programs align with its robotics career pathways and competencies. It said it evaluated 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
The newly endorsed programs are:
- Lorain County Community College’s Automation Engineering Technologies Systems Specialist program in Elyria, Ohio
- Lorain County Community College’s Automation Engineering Technology Maintenance/Repair program
- Butler Tech’s Mechatronics program in Hamilton, Ohio
- Greene County Career Center’s Advanced Industrial Robotics program in Xenia, Ohio
- Mahoning County Career and Technical Center’s FANUC Handling Tool Operations & Programming/FANUC ArcTool Operations & Programming in Canfield, Ohio
- LIFT’s Operation Next Robotics Curriculum in Detroit
- Pittsburgh Technical College’s Electronics Engineering program in Oakdale, Pa.
The ARM Institute previously issued endorsements in June 2021, Nov. 2021, Feb. 2022, June 2022, and Jan. 2023.
RoboticsCareer.org
RoboticsCareer.org, the ARM Institute's national workforce resource, collaborated in launching the endorsement program. It is designed to support U.S. manufacturing workers through each stage of their professional lives, from students exploring career options to incumbent workers looking to take the next steps.
Launched in May 2021, RoboticsCareer.org said it enables students and workers to learn about the competencies required for robotics pathways in manufacturing.
Job seekers can find opportunities that match their skills and goals. Hiring manufacturers can post jobs and search the talent database, said the ARM Institute.
In addition, education seekers can match to training programs that fit their desired career pathway and connect to industry-vetted training options through the ARM Endorsement Program.
Training providers can list their programs at no cost and apply for ARM endorsement at the site.
About the ARM Institute
The ARM Institute is structured as a public-private partnership, with nearly 400 member organizations. It is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA network.
Founded in 2017, the collaborative works with partners across industry, academia, and government to make robots, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers of all sizes. Its goals also include training the manufacturing workforce, strengthening the nation's economy and global competitiveness, and improving national security and resilience.
The ARM Institute said it “is leading the way to a future where people and robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products.”
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