CAAT | Center for Advanced Automotive Technology

CAAT Prepares Students for Careers in Emerging & Advanced Automotive Technologies

CAAT awarded seed funding to community colleges, universities, and secondary schools—several of which integrated industry collaborations—to improve and disseminate programs that prepare the workforce nationally for technical development jobs in advanced automotive technology.

CAAT reaches thousands of middle and high school students each year through career exploration labs, in-classroom STEM Labs, and career academies. CAAT held an Automotive Design and Engineering Career Expo sponsored and staffed by General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler that was attended by more than 1,200 middle and high school students. CAAT is also a major sponsor of Robotics, Engineering and Technology Day events attended by more than 2,500 middle and high school students annually.

CAAT Partnerships Drive for Next Generation Workforce

As a regional center with national impact on advanced automotive technology, CAAT partners with educational institutions and industry to drive the skills needed for the next generation of automotive technicians, engineering technologists, and designers.
CAAT has leveraged these partnerships to

• develop through the National STEM Consortium an Electric Vehicle Development Technology certificate program, completed by 53 students; (The curricula developed are offered as free and open educational resources on CAAT’s website as well as Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative.)
• provide high voltage safety training on hybrid and electric vehicles to more than 300 emergency first responders;
• develop virtual reality training modules in conjunction with CA2VES for classrooms without access to hybrid and electric vehicles;
• offer an annual advanced automotive technology conference featuring top industry and media speakers on the latest developments in vehicle electrification, weight reduction to improve fuel economy, and automated/connected vehicles; and
• conduct webinars designed to bridge the gap between industry and education.

Nearly 750 students, educators, industry professionals, and government representatives have participated in CAAT’s free conferences and webinars.