Paper VT-TuP3
Development of Vacuum Equipment Trainer (VET) Systems for Off-site Students

Tuesday, October 23, 2018, 6:30 pm, Room Hall B

While the shape of the Internet of Things (IoT) is still evolving for manufacturers and consumers, its arrival is not in doubt. In addition to a strategic research and development plan, businesses must have a workforce with the knowledge and skills to respond to new directions. Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, offers a 12-credit Vacuum Technology Certificate that can be completed in a year. The Vacuum and Thin Film Technology program (Part of the Engineering Technology Department) has provided local education in vacuum science for over 20 years at Normandale Community College. Utilizing technology and curriculum developed with the support of the National Science Foundation division of Advanced Technological Education (DUE 1400408 and Due 1700624), the college now has the capability to reach students at multiple locations throughout the United States. Courses are delivered locally or via a telepresence interface to students throughout the United States. Students receive hands-on practice with Vacuum Equipment Trainer (VET) systems. The VET systems are modular. As students progress through courses, capability is added to increase system functionality. Normandale Community College currently has eight copies of the VET systems. This means that students, both onsite and offsite, can complete a Vacuum Technology Certificate in a year. The first remote student certificates were awarded in the spring of 2018. This paper describes the VET system functionality and how it is used to support the technical content students learn in class.