GOF publishes three new courses advancing open learning in Philippines manufacturing
November 21, 2024
As skills shortages grow, global policymakers are seeking innovative ways to train large workforces rapidly, especially in key skills needed for new technologies. An open-learning model for skills training may provide a boost.
Global Opportunity Forum (GOF) is pleased to announce that it has released three new open courses with AMDev, an industry group in the Philippines that aims to train 10,000 workers in advanced-manufacturing skills by 2027.
“We know how important it is to scale effective education in the places that need it the most,” said George Westerman, founder of the MIT GOF. “We’re excited to continue to build more courses and broaden the skill set in the Philippines to drive growth in a competitive advanced manufacturing sector.”
The three new courses are now freely available to all manufacturing workers in the Philippines. Both courses are online and self-paced. GOF developed them in collaboration with the Learning Engineering and Practice (LEAP) group in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Unilab Foundation in Manila.
“Reading Technical Drawings” teaches how to use technical drawings as a universal language, enabling engineers and technicians anywhere to communicate. The course introduces key topics like projection (how to project 3D objects on a 2D plane) and international standards (set by ISO).
“Precision measurement” overviews how to take and interpret measurements using a variety of tools, from simple calipers to sophisticated laser trackers. The course covers measurement error, tolerance, calibration, and common issues posed by high-volume and precision production.
“Introduction to Manufacturing Systems” helps operators and technicians gain a broader view of the manufacturing process at their companies. These workers, who are often only familiar with their own functions, are equipped with fundamental concepts that enable them to reflect on where they fit in the entire production pipeline, and how they can collaborate better with their coworkers in other roles.
GOF has been collaborating with AMDev since 2023 and had already released two manufacturing courses this past summer. AMDev and the GOF’s course development has been funded by a five-year $5-million grant from USAID, the leading international development arm of the United States.
Efforts similar to AMDev may offer an attractive solution to ongoing skills shortages. Online courses have promised to make learning more accessible and scalable, but they often lack local sensitivity. They are not always designed for specific learners. And they must be much more than just recorded lectures if they are to appeal to people who typically have not felt successful in traditional classroom environments.
To address some of these issues, AMDev is orchestrating an ecosystem model for skills training. Manufacturing stakeholders–including employers, educators, and policymakers–have been collaborating,to identify common skills gaps, set standards, and develop courses and curricula that meet local needs. In a concerted effort, AMDev has also been forming Advanced Manufacturing Institutes across the Philippines to provide in-person training, especially in hands-on subjects. Overall, AMDev fosters industry collaboration to lift skills for all manufacturers.
This ecosystem approach taken by AMDev may have the greatest impact on SMEs, which make up as much as 99% of businesses in the Philippines. It has the benefit of making new skills—and, ultimately, new production technologies that require new skills—more accessible to small and mid-size manufacturers. SMEs often do not have the capability to independently upskill employees. AMDev helps overcome this shortcoming.
As a result, Filippino manufacturing may better foster innovation, as a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce creates more opportunities to invent.
Looking ahead, GOF is entering a new phase in its collaboration with AMDev. It has been working on another course modeled on a manufacturing program offered by the Berkshire Innovation Center Manufacturing Academy, in Massachusetts. GOF is also now adapting its online courses for in-person delivery by peer facilitators. The new delivery will enable non-experts to deliver engaging in-person learning experiences at scale.
As GOF looks toward its third year with AMDev, it is excited to continue to develop innovative approaches to teaching critical skills and making an economic impact.
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