The special needs of the industries in the region and the diverse backgrounds of the engineering participants in baccalaureate study will be given prime concern, utilizing the principles of total quality management, through a series of working groups. On Demand Competency Teams - A training and education design team, oriented toward a particular discipline, and made up of individuals having industrial expertise in that discipline. Its role is to advise the Academy on course curricula and define requirements for course offerings, particularly in evolving technical areas. It also monitors content and evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of instructional programs from an industrial perspective. A system of support services to prepare practicing and displaced engineers to return to the classroom after a protracted absence.
Engineers begin their careers with a variety of skills, but some become rusty over time.
Counseling is aimed at discovering which skills need to be restored prior to entering a post-baccalaureate program for enhancement or redirection. Restoration modules utilize modem educational technology for self-paced instruction, and more traditional methods to refresh skills. The Academy will evaluate and demonstrate this concept within a heavily industrialized, defense impacted region with the purpose of developing a transferable methodology. The infrastructure includes hardware to deliver actual learning experiences along with computing and information resources to augment quality engineering education. Experience gained will from the basis for implementing distance learning and research on planned information superhighways.