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MRC and MAGE Earn ARM Institute Endorsement

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The Maryland Robotics Center and Maryland Advanced Graduate Engineering (MAGE) are proud to announce their Master of Engineering and Graduate Certificate in Robotics programs have earned Endorsement from the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM Institute). ARM Endorsement recognizes programs that prepare students for manufacturing careers working with robotics.

The ARM Institute is the nation’s leading collaborative in robotics and workforce innovation, working at the confluence of industry, government, and academia. Structured as a public-private partnership, the ARM Institute and its 300+ member organizations catalyze robotic technologies and education solutions to strengthen the U.S. industrial base and secure U.S. manufacturing resiliency. The institute is sponsored by the Department of Defense, and its diverse membership base includes start-ups, research universities, community colleges, manufacturers of all sizes, government agencies, workforce development organizations, and more.

The ARM Endorsement Program is a thorough process used to identify organizations that are the most effective at preparing students for careers in manufacturing working with robotics. The Endorsement program was conceptualized and created through the ARM Institute’s 300+-member national consortium, giving equal voice to the need of manufacturers, education providers, and government stakeholders. The program leverages the ARM Institute’s competency and skills framework that outlines the career options and skills needed for a manufacturing career working with robotics.

The endorsement criteria are comprehensive, evaluating both organizations and their programs based on the following benchmarks:

•           Relevance to the industry
•           Effective curriculum
•           Efficiency of the training
•           Impact of the program
•           Program sustainability
•           Transportability

The ARM Endorsement not only gives us exposure to a wide audience of the robotics industry and robotics education seekers, it also provides a seal of approval for our robotics programs, assures students of the value our programs bring in for their professional career advancement in robotics, and enhances our reputation within the industry.

Derek Paley
Director, Maryland Robotics Center

"The ARM Endorsement not only gives us exposure to a wide audience of the robotics industry and robotics education seekers,” said Maryland Robotics Center Director Derek Paley (AE/ISR). “It also provides a seal of approval for our robotics programs, assures students of the value our programs bring in for their professional career advancement in robotics, and enhances our reputation within the industry.”

“We are proud to be part of ARM’s Endorsement program. We see this as an overall benefit to the program, students, and the robotics industry on the whole.”

“We are pleased to recognize elite organizations for preparing workers for Industry 4.0 careers,” noted Lisa Masciantonio, ARM Institute Chief Workforce Officer. “Effective training will be key to our nation navigating the mounting skills gap and workforce shortage in manufacturing. Recognizing top-tier programs will help students identify the best training for their desired manufacturing career.”

Endorsed programs are highlighted on RoboticsCareer.org, the ARM Institute’s national capability that connects students and workers with robotics education programs for manufacturing careers.

About the ARM Institute
The Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004, and part of the Manufacturing USA® network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique, robust, and diverse ecosystem of consortium members and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen our economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience. Based in Pittsburgh since 2017, the ARM Institute is leading the way to a future where people and robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products.

Published February 7, 2022