2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The Skill Sets required by engineering technology (ET) technicians across a spectrum of applications within identified technologies. The Industry 4.0 (I4.0)environment expectations include interactions with various ET technicians to address I4.0-driven industry situations. If tomorrow’s technician will service this expectation, today’s ET preparation faculty must know how ET Skill Set skills are applied and adapted within the broad scope of ET situations. Effective hands-on Professional development across faculty subsets that are currently responsible for technician education is the objective
The Professional Development Platform for Engineering Technology (PDPET) is designed to address this requirement. Objectives to be addressed by PDPET include (1) Developing and implementing online remote access to the degree program and its curriculum; (2) Creating a skills-focused interactive system with regional education and industry partners; (3) Providing professional development; and (4) Building institutional capacity. When PDPET elements consider these requirements, their application among ET technician preparation programs will create a broader skill impact on new technicians in their workspace.
This paper reviews an excellent model element for the PDPET collection. The independent Engineering Technology Curriculum (iMEC) has been developed, created, and implemented by South Central College (SCC) and impressively integrates all the above objectives. The College elected to target high school faculty and employ mechatronics as their instrument for professional development. This faculty subgroup is extremely important to the College since their students will significantly contribute to SCC’s ET degree program capacity. Target faculty and students span the SCC service region. Mechatronics was selected for three reasons. First, the topic is attractive to the faculty and their students. Second, the topic is easily blended with courses already developed and delivered at SCC. Three, there is a high demand for skilled mechatronics technicians in Minnesota and nationwide.
This paper presents the iMEC program. This includes its goals, objectives, and activities. Since the iMEC approach has already been exported to Nebraska and introduced to several other states, including Florida, its impact on mechatronic education will also be presented. Finally, future developments for iMEC will be outlined.