Conference Session

Innovative Lower Division Programs

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Srikanth Pidugu, University of Arkansas-Little Rock; Swaminadham Midturi, University of Arkansas-Little Rock

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

for careers in industrialenergy sector.1. Introduction The U.S. Department of Energy, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Department ofLabor and other professional organizations have recognized the need for well-educated and well-trained workforce to meet the need of the changing U.S manufacturing industries. Therecognized competency gaps in today’s work force, according to the Manufacturing EducationFoundation [1], are: low level education, minimal skills to cope with high tech gadgets, lack ofmotivation for technical careers, poor communication skills, poor work ethics, unawareness ofjob opportunities, lack of adaptive skills, low skills in the use of energy related software, and lowlevel knowledge in the use of instruments for