Advanced Diagnostics Transportation Training Certification

About This Grant

The extraordinary technological advancements seen in the heavy equipment and transportation industries related to electric, autonomous, and controlled vehicle innovation have contributed to a pressing need to expand the skills and expertise of the skilled technical workforce. The advanced skills needed in rural Minnesota are broader than those needed in metropolitan regions, with the expectation that technicians are both able to manually navigate older equipment that is still being serviced at local shops as well as those in production at mines or other resource-related industries, such as logging. However, the growing need for skills that match an emerging market of “electric diesel” equipment and other high-powered and highly networked equipment is increasing. To address the demand for upskilling, Minnesota North College will create an advanced diagnostics transportation micro-credential to build the immediate skills needed for new technicians to successfully transition to more sophisticated advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), hybrid and electric components testing, and networking. The proposed project will be designed to quickly develop students' skills and knowledge to align with industry needs through a five-course micro-credential. Courses will be available for second-year diesel mechanics and automotive technician students and field technicians. Over this three-year project, 12 students in two cohorts will be recruited to complete the certificate program. Based on the demographics of the region and college, and the comprehensive support services offered through college, a highly skilled diverse automotive and diesel workforce for the region will emerge. This project aims to increase access to advanced diagnostic skills to supplement the after-market automotive sector, private contractor, and mining workforce in heavy equipment. The goal of the project is to upskill current and new cohorts of rural transportation technicians in advanced driver-assistance systems and advanced diagnostics with an emphasis on the recruitment of adult learners and women. Representatives from the diesel and automotive industries will serve on an advisory board to provide insight into the development of the advanced diagnostics micro-credential certificate program. Additionally, college faculty will participate in relevant professional development to build curriculum that aligns with diagnostic, autonomous, and comprehensive advanced vehicle maintenance. The resulting four-month certificate program will provide an accelerated training option for students and industry professionals to be better prepared to meet regional transportation needs. This project will create the first workforce in northeastern Minnesota that will be equipped to navigate greater levels of troubleshooting and diagnostic repair on increasingly connected vehicles in the automotive and heavy equipment sector. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.