Transforming Liberal Arts Graduates to Advanced Manufacturing Careers: The First Cohort

Abstract

It is well recognized that a liberal arts degree (BA) equips graduates with many essential skills cited as critical for the current and future workforce. These include but are not limited to strong communication, critical thinking and problem solving skills in addition to being adaptable and innovative in a culturally diverse environment. Multiple employer surveys and educational standards stress the importance of the skills acquired through a liberal arts education and their value added to the preparation of technical career students such as engineers. However, it is also well recognized that BA graduates are more challenged securing employment after graduation than their counterparts in technical careers. Their prospects for meaningful employment in economic downturns are even less. Many of these graduates are either un-or mal-employed during recession times. Their compensation is often less than that of their technical counterparts. Many industries, including Advanced Manufacturing lack sufficient skilled labor to meet their labor needs. This paper presents an innovative program (TRANSFORM) which seeks to address these two problems: lack of meaningful employment for BA graduates and the lack of a sufficient number of graduates with the essential technical skills to fill advanced manufacturing positions. TRANSFORM has been developed to equip BA graduates with skills essential for a financially stable career in advanced manufacturing. The central research question is how to accomplish this vision? The paper discusses a project currently funded by NSF that aims to answer this research question.This paper presents the elements of the program: targeted advanced manufacturing positions, design and delivery of the TRANSFORMing curriculum and program, recruitment of the target audience (BA graduates), recruitment of industrial partners, internship opportunities, program logistics, student advising, and lessons learned.