Principal Investigator

Justin Starr

Status

Active

Start Date

July 1, 2024

End Date

June 30, 2025

Project Type

Education - Workforce Development

Grant Program

US DOT BIL, Safety21, 2023 - 2028 (4811)

Grant Cycle

Safety21 : 24-25

Visibility

Public

Abstract

CCAC is proposing continuing development of the first EV Technician apprenticeship program in the country, based on standards developed by the German government and a consortium of European automakers. Specifically, CCAC proposes to add several trainers developed by Lucas Neulle for working on HV battery systems, PHEV systems, and support a visiting instructor from Germany to provide guidance on labs for alternative fuel vehicle curriculum and on-the-job training programs. We will also support student teams focused on orbital logistics for the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program, design a series of computer vision labs for technician education programs using Arduino hardware, and support student participation in aftermarket EV training programs, as a model for continuing education for existing mechanics and independent repair shops. As part of this effort, CCAC will work closely with the German American Chamber of Commerce to ensure that the EV Technician Apprenticeship program is registered with the PA Department of Labor and Industry. We will also publish and codify our AI general education materials developed in the last year of this program as open educational resources for adoption by other two-year colleges.     

Description

Timeline

Strategic Description / RD&T

Specifically, these technologies will build technician awareness of AI and automated systems and lead to more productive, safer working relationships. This aligns with the following bullet in the Safe Technology section on p. 19: "Leverage innovative technologies to monitor, predict, and plan ways to reduce injuries and
fatalities among the transportation workforce and traveling public." Introducing supply chain and logistics education at the community college level and supporting students in their investigations into how this topics extend in spaceflight supports the "Resilient Supply Chains" Economic Strength and Global Competitiveness Research Priority on p.24. Additionally all of these programs support the "Creating Pathways to Good Quality Jobs" research priority and the "Create High-Quality Jobs and Career Pathways" research objective on p.31. Finally, CCAC will continue to disseminate these best practices so that other community colleges may model our efforts, supporting the "Collect Data and Share Best Practices" research objective on p.30.

Deployment Plan

Q1 – Starr and Koch work with GACC to revise EV apprenticeship program per recommendations from apprenticeship council. Select student teams for SSEP and coordinate first round of competition at Moonshot Museum. Instructors enroll in training programs.
Q2 – Setup and configure Lucas Neulle trainers and receive instruction from visiting German instructor. Actually teach first cohort of apprenticeship students using translated German EV apprenticeship materials. Select finalists from Phase Two of SSEP.
Q3 – Publish AI course materials as OERs and support student preparation of experiment for launch as part of phase three of SSEP. Continue instruction on trainers with apprenticeships students. 
Q4 – Share out findings at ASEE conference presentation and NSF High Impact Technology Exchange Conference. Present at Smart Mobility Connection where applicable. Students take the first of two exams for the EV apprenticeship program, created by the German IHK.

Expected Outcomes/Impacts

This project will create several frameworks for workforce development as well as freely available curriculum for technician education. As AI and AV technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, it is critical to integrate technician education - beyond automotive technologies. In the Greater Pittsburgh Area, manufacturing technicians report working alongside autonomous transportation systems and using large language models to complete their daily work. Integrating modules on AI and releasing these modules to the public will enable other community colleges and institutions of higher education to adopt these programs without incurring the costs of development. By using apprenticeship programs to implement these programs, we expect to have a direct impact on employers and manufacturers in the regional economy, ensuring impacts extend beyond education. Additionally, actually launching the EV Technician apprenticeship program will provide a first for Pittsburgh and Safety21 on the national scale – it will be the first registered EV apprenticeship program in the United States. 

Expected Outputs

Outputs will include: lab manuals, course outlines, SCORM course modules (for systems like Blackboard), a registered apprenticeship program, an interdisciplinary credit certificate program, translated EV materials and curriculum, K12 STEM activities, conference presentations and at least one publication about AI as a Skilled Trade.

TRID

N/A Workforce Development

Individuals Involved

Email	Name	Affiliation	Role	Position
jcowans@ccac.edu	Cowans, Jen	Community College of Allegheny County	Other	Staff - Business Manager
rkoch@ccac.edu	Koch, Robert	Community College of Allegheny County	Co-PI	Faculty - Tenured
jstarr@ccac.edu	Starr, Justin	Community College of Allegheny County	PI	Faculty - Tenured
grants@ccac.edu	Starr, Justin	Community College of Allegheny County	Other	Staff - Business Manager

Budget

Amount of UTC Funds Awarded

$99977.50

Total Project Budget (from all funding sources)

$200972.50

Documents

Type	Name	Uploaded

Match Sources

No match sources!

Partners

No partners!