In the early 2000s, automotive manufacturers faced a critical shortage of skilled workers. Community and technical colleges from Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Kentucky collaborated with automotive manufacturers to address this challenge. From this initial collaboration, the Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC) was formed in 2005.
AMTEC’s goal is to better prepare highly skilled mechatronics technicians for work in the advanced manufacturing environment. AMTEC offers industry-led certification assessments, competency-based college curricula, national analytics, industry-grade professional development, and consultative services.
Nocti Business Solutions, along with our parent organization NOCTI, has been a key part of how AMTEC fulfills its mission “to create and sustain an innovative, responsive, and standards-based workforce development system that meets advanced manufacturing industries skill requirements.”
Connecting Industry and Education Through Skill Standards
When AMTEC partners first convened in 2005, their goal was to define a baseline skillset that industrial maintenance technicians or mechatronics technicians would need to work at almost any automotive manufacturing facility. This involved manufacturers like Chrysler and Ford, who might normally be competing with one another, coming together to collaborate, share knowledge, and discuss solutions. The original AMTEC group included subject matter experts from 12 leading community and technical colleges and 18 automotive manufacturing companies.
By 2007, AMTEC had developed a comprehensive occupational standard for a general maintenance technician. This standard was based on input from subject matter experts and maintenance technicians from companies like Toyota, Ford, and General Motors. After the standard, the next step was to create a national certification to signify an individual had the industry-relevant skills and knowledge to succeed as a maintenance technician.
Competency-Based Credential Development with NBS/NOCTI
AMTEC knew developing a high-quality credential needed to be done through a qualified third-party organization. Creating a credential internally would be a self-declaration of quality and could create potential conflicts of interest. Not only would a third-party credential help AMTEC stay “non-partisan,” but it would also ensure the credential was truly industry-driven and an accurate reflection of industry-relevant skills.
“Nocti Business Solutions was an easy choice for a credentialing partner,” said Jason Simon, Director of AMTEC. “Not only are they an accredited third party, but they are experts in their field. Their test development process is second to none. Having NBS’s expertise really helped set AMTEC above the rest of the pack and makes our organization unique from other companies in the educational arena.”
General Maintenance Certification
The first credential AMTEC and NBS developed was the General Maintenance – Mechatronics assessment. NBS conducted a study on behalf of AMTEC to identify what manufacturers needed from future maintenance technicians. Then, AMTEC worked with industry leaders and subject matter experts to create modules, lessons, and labs that are used in AMTEC’s programs today.
If someone takes the assessment and meets the national cut score, employers have proof that the individual has shown a mastery of general mechatronics according to industry standards and guidelines. In other words, they have the skills and knowledge to be successful in modern, advanced manufacturing facilities.
The General Maintenance – Mechatronics assessment is used by top manufacturers and technical schools across the country.
- Boeing’s facilities in Puget Sound use the assessment as a pre-hire tool to ensure candidates have the right skills for the job.
- Toyotetsu North America and Honda Manufacturing of Indiana use the assessment to test incumbent workers and incentivize upskilling.
- Workforce development agencies use the assessment to identify skills gaps and customize training.
- Colleges use the assessment to prove students have met the targeted learning outcomes.
Emerging Technician Certifications
After developing the General Maintenance assessment, AMTEC began hearing from school and industry leaders that there were no affordable and relevant industrial maintenance certifications geared toward students. AMTEC partnered with NOCTI, NBS’s nonprofit parent organization and the national leader in CTE credentialing solutions, to create two Emerging Technician certifications.
The Emerging Technicians are industry-relevant credentials designed for students who are looking for an entry-level position. For employers, this validates they have the skills needed to be successful as an entry-level industrial maintenance mechanic.
- The Emerging Technician: Maintenance Mechanic assessment measures knowledge of electrical principles, maintaining industrial equipment, fluid power, and fundamentals of machine tools.
- The Emerging Technician: Electrical assessment measures knowledge of electrical principles, electrical motor controls, maintenance of PLC, and robotics and automation.
New Industry 4.0 Certification
AMTEC and NBS are excited to collaborate on a new certification for Industry 4.0. “I don’t know if you’ve heard of it,” jokes Jason Simon, “but Industry 4.0 has basically changed everything about manufacturing. We’re working with NBS to develop a skill standard and credential for maintenance technicians based around Industry 4.0.”
This certification will be specific to maintenance technicians. “Industry 4.0 means something different to a vibration analysis engineer who’s developing a simulation strategy and a maintenance technician who needs to change out a servo motor on a robot or update a PLC program,” said Simon. “This certification will drill down and ask the question ‘what does Industry 4.0 mean to a maintenance technician in advanced manufacturing?’”
AMTEC also has plans for secondary and postsecondary curricula. Through an NSF grant, Strengthening the Industry 4.0 Workforce through Virtual Reality Training Modules (DUE 2142868), AMTEC has partnered with zSpace to develop virtual reality training environments. The new Industry 4.0 credential is on track for release in early 2024. Stay tuned for news about this exciting new credential!
Building A New Generation of Skilled Maintenance Technicians
Like other AMTEC certifications, the new Industry 4.0 certification is industry driven. “The best way to prepare the next generation of skilled workers is to listen to the voice of industry,” says Simon. “Industry-driven credential development means we are teaching the techniques of tomorrow and preparing learners with industry-relevant skills. When a student graduates with one of these credentials, we can have absolute confidence that we’ve prepared them for what they will actually encounter on the job. If we haven’t done that, then we aren’t doing our jobs as educators.”
NBS is proud to partner with AMTEC as they develop innovative solutions for training skilled maintenance technicians. Not only do we work with industry organizations like AMTEC to develop high-quality credentials, but we also offer 170+ technical skills assessments to help employers validate skills and hire skilled workers. Have questions about our assessments or credentialing services? Send us a message and let us know how we can help you build a skilled workforce!
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