Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC)

Objective

To create a standards-based workforce education system that meets the needs of the automotive industry in the United States.

Overview and Main Activities

AMTEC is a partnership between community and technical colleges and auto manufacturers, auto technicians and auto suppliers that offers an industry-specific curriculum designed to educate technicians and manufacturing engineers to work in automobile manufacturing and technology.

Industry partners developed a set of 110 core skills and knowledge competencies common to all plants. These competencies have been developed by high-performing workers, not supervisors, who identified the tasks they perform each day and defined the competencies required for each task. In collaboration with community and technical colleges, competencies have been translated into an industry-led curriculum accompanied by credentials provided by AMTEC. Industry partners prioritize hiring qualified AMTEC participants. Industry partners include Toyota, GM, Ford, BMW, Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen and Chrysler.

Partner community colleges, career and technology centres, and college-industry “site” hybrid programmes deliver the content, which is composed of 12 core courses or 57 modules for a variety of student populations. Each module focuses on specific skill sets. This gives students more flexibility in combining, sequencing or spreading out learning as required. It also addresses core needs of automotive manufacturers and their suppliers who are able to run assessments on their current employees to identify exactly where the gaps are in their competencies. Partner community colleges then update their respective programmes to utilize AMTEC content entirely or modify their certificate or degree tracks to fit within the needs of their particular region.

AMTEC leads continuous improvements and professional development opportunities for its community college users. Data on student performance within modules, assessment tools, and user feedback is continuously analysed for ongoing improvements to enhance the learning experience, increase student success and provide a skilled workforce for industry partners. Community college partners also share information on best practices and performance with one another through participation in annual workshops.

AMTEC engages nationally and internationally to share research methodology, results and career models in manufacturing at various collegiate, workforce, industry and economic development leadership conferences.

Success Factors and Challenges

Most critical success factors:

• Industry-led, competency based curriculum based on core competencies identified by industry partners
• Modular curriculum: targeted and individualized for more efficiency
• Industry partners pair with education providers when joining AMTEC to ensure that linkages are maintained
• All partnerships are governed by a memorandum of understanding that defines required contributions of all stakeholder groups
• Data-driven continuous improvement

Main challenges:

• Tribal mindset of union workers toward auto company employers

Replicability and Scalability

How easily could other organizations implement this initiative?
Difficult/easy: Implementation depends on many factors, especially access to technology – such as welding labs, machining, pneumatics – for instruction and experienced instructors.

How easily can this initiative be expanded to include a larger number of participants?
Very easy: Curriculum design enables scaling up, and ensures AMTEC serves many skill seekers with appropriate site partners for hands-on learning.

About the Organization

Website: www.mckinsey.com
Sector: Professional Services
Size (number of employees): 10,000 – 50,000
Headquarters: New York, United States