Original Date: 11/03/1996
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

As the training arm of Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT), the Manufacturing Skills Campus draws upon its rich resources of craft skills and knowledge at Oak Ridge. The Skills Campus provides intense hands-on and performance-based manufacturing training courses for technical educators and trainers; professional development; specific requirements; and skill enhancements. Through its Train-the-Trainer programs, the Manufacturing Skills Campus fills the technology and skill gaps of educational programs.

Needs vary across the educational and business environments. Many educators, trainers, and managers need manufacturing hands-on skills and problem-solving experience to complement their classroom or office expertise. Others, familiar with manufacturing, need refresher courses to maintain their awareness of current and future practices in the manufacturing field. Still others request assistance in developing specialized training courses for instructors at their company. To address these needs, the Manufacturing Skills Campus developed various Train-the- Trainer programs such as the Manufacturing Applications Workshops for Educators, the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training for Technical Educators, and the Specialized Train-the-Trainer Programs.

The Manufacturing Applications Workshops for Educators provides short-term (several days to one month) opportunities for middle school, high school, and college teachers to integrate their academic expertise with hands- on skills and problem-solving experience in the manufacturing world. Through ORCMT resources, the Workshop presents an accurate portrayal of the manufacturing field and corrects any misconception about technical and vocational careers. As a result, teachers improve their ability to guide and prepare vocational and college-bound students for manufacturing careers. More than 300 educators have participated in these workshops.

The Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training for Technical Educators presents a more technical approach than the applications workshops. This training targets educators who teach manufacturing skills in secondary vocational education programs; technical colleges; adult technical vocational schools; and company training organizations. Intense, one-to-two-week classes offer educators professional skill-development training in precision machining, measurement, and maintenance technologies. The Manufacturing Skills Campus has provided training to educational facilities, government agencies, and Project Focus HOPE.

Through the Specialized Train-the-Trainer Programs, the Manufacturing Skills Campus assists organizations that lack in-house expertise, equipment, and/or facilities for training. First, the Manufacturing Skills Campus instructors develop a training curriculum package for the organization, and then train the organization’s own instructional staff. This program enables the existing educators to provide training in the local geographical regions by upgrading their own capabilities.

Through these various Train-the-Trainer Programs, the Manufacturing Skills Campus offers educators enhanced skill training, customized technical disciplines, and the opportunity to use the outstanding resources at ORCMT. The Skills Campus has met the needs of GOALS 2000 Educate America Act’s initiatives, School-To-Work programs, post-secondary educational institutions, and the manufacturing industry.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.