Suchergebnisse

Recent changes in the needs of the military have caused the U.S. Navy to spend more time out to sea. Longer deployments limit the time available for performing maintenance and for training their technicians. The Navy is also steadily reducing the number of sailors manning each vessel, therefore requiring more automated systems to keep the ships at sea and in total readiness. To meet this need, industrial automation systems are being investigated as replacements and upgrades for the military systems that have been used for years in warship designs. This will require ship repair partners, both military and civilian, to work with unfamiliar equipment (in the current trades mix) that was not designed for installation in such a harsh environment. Although the industrial automation industry has been using these systems for years, there is a shortage of technicians in the maritime industry that understand mechatronics systems. Hence, there is a need to better prepare technicians to install and repair these systems since it is a complete change to the previous design of warship systems. This paper will present an overview of competencies related to one such career, and overview the relation between mechatronics engineering and marine engineering. It will also present the current state of the different educational levels, starting from high school and continuing onto technician and undergraduate education and programs.

A growing trend within the U.S. Navy is to streamline operations by deploying ships with less sailors, who are more highly skilled technicians that are trained to do a wide array of jobs. Modern ships also include various automated systems that require more highly skilled technicians for maintenance. Outdated warship designs are now being replaced with industrial grade automation equipment. Such equipment is being used in warships that encounter harsher environments than what exists in the civilian industry. Hence, there is a need for training in regards to industrial grade automation equipment for military and civilian ship repair partners. Marine mechatronics technicians will be trained to maintain these modern complex warship systems. For that purpose, the team of marine mechatronics experts participated in a two day long DACUM workshop at a community college (blind review). The workshop's main purpose was to identify all competencies, skills, tools, and behaviors necessary for the specific job of a marine mechatronics technician.

Veterans, through their active service, frequently receive training in highly skilled technical areas. However, they may lack a theoretical background in underlying engineering principles. They also need additional support with the transition from a highly structured military environment to an environment with more ambiguous time constraints and different sorts of responsibilities. Moreover they are facing challenges which are specific for their student population. Therefore, enabling multiple mechanisms which would support them and provide them necessary guidance are especially important at universities with large veteran populations such as at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Hence, there is a need for programs which build on the specialized training that veterans received and aid in their academic journey. This paper will introduce three pilot programs for advancing engineering education for military veterans focusing on forming a support base for veterans to assist them in overcoming traditional educational barriers.