Concurrent Education: A New Postsecondary Educational Model that Provides “Learning for Earning” as well as “Learning for Learning” in Rapidly Evolving Industries such as High Tech Electronic Product Design and Assembly

Tom Borkes

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Manufacturing Education Curriculum
Tagged Division: Manufacturing
Page Count: 23
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--34325
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/34325
Download Count: 397

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Paper Authors

biography

Tom Borkes The Jefferson Institute orcid.org/0000-0001-5154-6693

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Tom has over 35 years of technical and managerial assignment experience in electronic product design, assembly, test and manufacturing automation. He has also taught in an adjunct capacity for the engineering departments at the City College of New York and Valencia Community College in Florida. A graduate of Hofstra University with a B.S. in Engineering Science, specializing in Mechanical Engineering, he has worked on technical projects as diverse as the micro-electronic packaging of hybrid circuits, the macro-engineering of a 13 meter diameter parabolic RF antenna and the automated high volume assembly of medical products.
In 1993, Tom was elected Vice President of Technical Programs for The Surface Mount Technology Association an international group of over 3000 engineers who focus on automated electronic circuit board manufacturing.
He was re-elected to this position in August of 1994 and served until 1996, receiving the SMTA “Excellence in Leadership” award in 1997. In 2002 he was the recipient of the prestigious Founders award given “to individuals who have helped advance the SMTA as well as the electronics assembly industry.”
In June of 1994 he formed The Jefferson Project, dedicated to developing and maintaining a world class work force for the domestic electronics industry. The concept is based on principles Tom developed called “Concurrent Education.”
Among his significant technical achievements has been the development of one of the first high volume electronic product contract assembly capabilities utilizing SMT devices.
In conjunction with Tom's work in electronic product design and assembly, he has presented numerous papers and seminars on subjects including, high and low volume SMT manufacturing, an empirical analysis of vapor phase and convective/IR reflow soldering, automated data acquisition, statistical process control, concurrent engineering and 0201 and 01005 component process development.
His published management work includes:
Concurrent Education: A Learning Approach to Serve Electronic Product Manufacturing and,
...Like Holding the Wolf by the Ears... the Key to Regaining Electronic Production Market Share: Breaking Free of the Division of Labor Manufacturing Model in High Cost Global Regions

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Abstract

Paper Abstract: The debate on what value should be assigned to a post-secondary degree for a student who is emerging from the traditional educational pipeline into the real world continues to be provocative. As with most issues of this type, a danger is arriving at an unconditional conclusion based upon generalizations. The more prudent approach is to narrowly define the conditions that are under analysis. For example, “value” is the operative word which requires attention. Are we speaking of “value” in the sense of imbuing principles in the student that develop an understanding of the world and allow her to achieve individual fulfillment through both personal achievement and making a contribution to a particular field of study? Are we referring to the “value” of an education that provides the student with real world, marketable skills in a specific industry or business? Are we evaluating a particular type of post-secondary degree: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate? Does the achieving of a degree represent a proficiency in competing as an individual or contributing in a team environment? Has the student learned problem solving, critical thinking, team dynamics, conflict resolution, process development and other general “soft” skills? This paper presents a new model that employs the principles of Concurrent Education. The 4-year program will result in a B.S. in Applied Electronic Product Design and Production Sciences. The major distinction between this model and the traditional post-secondary engineering education model, is that this model wraps an engineering school around a contract manufacturing business, or EMS company (Electronic Manufacturing Services). This new post-secondary education architecture will provide a real world classroom or learning environment for the student for a full four-year undergraduate engineering program. The student learns by participating in every aspect of the EMS business. The professors and instructors in the school also lead project teams consisting of students and staff on the EMS production floor. The students will be compensated for their work in the EMS. The teaching staff will be employed by the EMS as well as the school. The paper presents a representative curriculum for the first trimester of a student’s freshman year. The curriculum leverages the real world classroom to provide an active learning environment. As the student progresses through the program typical textbook taught engineering subjects such as calculus, dynamics, motion control, analog and digital electronics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, material science, etc. will be taught utilizing the EMS production equipment, product designs and manufacturing and assembly processes, to teach the theory, with written supplements to the traditional engineering textbooks. The paper also presents the win-win-win relationship between the three entities with an interest in the educational model’s construction: 1. The Capital Equipment Automation Industry: Automated electronic product production is extremely capital intensive. Providing their equipment to the 501(c)(3) business means the students will be learning on it. In addition, the EMS will showcase the equipment operating in a real world environment. The equipment manufacturers will be able to show potential customers their automation equipment in this setting. 2. The Companies That Have Their Products Assembled and Perhaps Designed by the EMS: There is no better education for future employees (the students) than their participation on the product team that is building those products. Formal employment contracts between the company and the students upon graduation will be available. 3. The Students (i.e., the school’s customers): Being educated in a competitive, real world environment means the students will be exposed to leading edge design and production technology (e.g., advanced automation, artificial intelligence, meta process control) with their course work continually updated as the EMS business processes advance to stay competitive. The paper identifies and explores the self-updating nature of the curriculum to meet the needs of the business as a method to ensure the student is always receiving a leading edge education. The students will always bring this acquired state-of-the-art wisdom to their future real world employers or, fulfilling Wordsworth’s words that, the child is father to the man.

Citation
Format

Borkes, T. (2020, June), Concurrent Education: A New Postsecondary Educational Model that Provides “Learning for Earning” as well as “Learning for Learning” in Rapidly Evolving Industries such as High Tech Electronic Product Design and Assembly Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--34325

TY - CPAPER
AB - Paper Abstract: The debate on what value should be assigned to a post-secondary degree for a student who is emerging from the traditional educational pipeline into the real world continues to be provocative. As with most issues of this type, a danger is arriving at an unconditional conclusion based upon generalizations. The more prudent approach is to narrowly define the conditions that are under analysis. For example, “value” is the operative word which requires attention. Are we speaking of “value” in the sense of imbuing principles in the student that develop an understanding of the world and allow her to achieve individual fulfillment through both personal achievement and making a contribution to a particular field of study? Are we referring to the “value” of an education that provides the student with real world, marketable skills in a specific industry or business? Are we evaluating a particular type of post-secondary degree: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate? Does the achieving of a degree represent a proficiency in competing as an individual or contributing in a team environment? Has the student learned problem solving, critical thinking, team dynamics, conflict resolution, process development and other general “soft” skills? This paper presents a new model that employs the principles of Concurrent Education. The 4-year program will result in a B.S. in Applied Electronic Product Design and Production Sciences. The major distinction between this model and the traditional post-secondary engineering education model, is that this model wraps an engineering school around a contract manufacturing business, or EMS company (Electronic Manufacturing Services). This new post-secondary education architecture will provide a real world classroom or learning environment for the student for a full four-year undergraduate engineering program. The student learns by participating in every aspect of the EMS business. The professors and instructors in the school also lead project teams consisting of students and staff on the EMS production floor. The students will be compensated for their work in the EMS. The teaching staff will be employed by the EMS as well as the school. The paper presents a representative curriculum for the first trimester of a student’s freshman year. The curriculum leverages the real world classroom to provide an active learning environment. As the student progresses through the program typical textbook taught engineering subjects such as calculus, dynamics, motion control, analog and digital electronics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, material science, etc. will be taught utilizing the EMS production equipment, product designs and manufacturing and assembly processes, to teach the theory, with written supplements to the traditional engineering textbooks. The paper also presents the win-win-win relationship between the three entities with an interest in the educational model’s construction: 1. The Capital Equipment Automation Industry: Automated electronic product production is extremely capital intensive. Providing their equipment to the 501(c)(3) business means the students will be learning on it. In addition, the EMS will showcase the equipment operating in a real world environment. The equipment manufacturers will be able to show potential customers their automation equipment in this setting. 2. The Companies That Have Their Products Assembled and Perhaps Designed by the EMS: There is no better education for future employees (the students) than their participation on the product team that is building those products. Formal employment contracts between the company and the students upon graduation will be available. 3. The Students (i.e., the school’s customers): Being educated in a competitive, real world environment means the students will be exposed to leading edge design and production technology (e.g., advanced automation, artificial intelligence, meta process control) with their course work continually updated as the EMS business processes advance to stay competitive. The paper identifies and explores the self-updating nature of the curriculum to meet the needs of the business as a method to ensure the student is always receiving a leading edge education. The students will always bring this acquired state-of-the-art wisdom to their future real world employers or, fulfilling Wordsworth’s words that, the child is father to the man.
AU - Tom Borkes
CY - Virtual On line
DA - 2020/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Concurrent Education: A New Postsecondary Educational Model that Provides “Learning for Earning” as well as “Learning for Learning” in Rapidly Evolving Industries such as High Tech Electronic Product Design and Assembly
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/34325
DO - 10.18260/1-2--34325
ER -