Professional Development Opportunities

2020 Spring MATA Conference

March 19-20, 2020

For the first time ever the annual Michigan Automotive Teachers Association (MATA) Conference will span two days, Thursday March 19 from 1:00 – 5:00 pm, and Friday March 20 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.   Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.

New this year is the Thursday afternoon/evening portion of the conference. This is being added for those attendees that are able to arrive earlier and would like additional training hours as well as the opportunity to network with colleagues. Friday will follow the familiar MATA/SEMATA format of technical training classes, a trade show, live demos, and raffles. Both days will provide ASE Education Foundation Training Hours: 4 for Thursday and 6 for Friday. 

The conference is free to attend, but registration is required. Visit our MATA page  for updates and to register. You are encouraged to share this information with associates and colleagues who may benefit from attending this conference.

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DMA Fall Conference
The Future State of the Automotive Industry

October 25, 2019

The keynote speaker will be Kristin Dziczek, Vice President, Industry, Labor & Economics, Center for Automotive Research. Ms. Dziczek will speak on the state of the national and local automotive industry.

Other speakers and topics include:

• Representative Elisa Slotkin, Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, on the National View of Items Affecting the Automobile Industry
• Tom Kelly, Executive Director and CEO, Automation Alley, on Industry 4.0
• Melissa Sheldon, Senior Director for Strategies and Partnerships, Workforce Intelligence Network, on Available Jobs in the Auto Sector and the Q3 Jobs Report

A student panel discussion is also being planned.

The DMA conference is free, but registration is required. A hot breakfast and lunch are included.

2019 Fall SEMATA Conference

October 4, 2019

The Conference offers technical training classes, a trade show, raffles and live demos. The conference is free and provides NATEF training hours.

Visit our SEMATA page for more information.

2019 Summer Professional Development Course
Electric-Drive Vehicle Technology

June 27 - 28, 2018
9:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.
New York Automotive and Diesel Institute (NYADI)
College of Automotive and Diesel technology
178-18 Liberty Avenue                                                                                      
Jamaica, NY 11433

Explore the state-of-the-art advanced automotive technology including electric-drive vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, connected and autonomous vehicles, energy storage systems, power electronics and traction motors

This workshop is designed for:

• Community college instructors
• 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty
• High school science and technology teachers
• Automotive industry professionals

Workshop Content

• Topic 1: Overview of HEV/PHEV/EV/FCV
• Topic 2: Advanced Battery Systems for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
• Topic 3: Power Electronics and Traction Motor for Electric-drive Vehicles
• Topic 4: Cooperative Connected Vehicle

Those attending this workshop received a certificate of completion accredited by Wayne State University, course materials, and a $150 stipend.

Download the flyer and application form

2019 CAAT Conference
Is Electrification the Future?

May 10, 2019

Join us for the 2019 CAAT Conference Is Electrification the Future? The conference will be held the morning of Friday, May 10, at Macomb Community College's south campus in Warren, Michigan. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required due to limited seating. Register now to save your seat!

The conference is targeted to automotive industry representatives and secondary and post-secondary automotive educators and administrators. Representatives from automotive-related government and professional organizations are also encouraged to attend.

For detailed information about the conference and to register, please visit our  2019 CAAT Conference web page today!

The event will feature keynote speaker, Jeff Lowinger, President, eMobility, Vehicle Group, Eaton.

And includes presentations by:

• Megan Schrauben, MiSTEM Network Executive for the State of Michigan
• Student Panel on STEM Experience & Pathways
• Stephanie Beckhorn, Director, Workforce Development Agency

  Conference Information

2019 Spring MATA Conference

March 14, 2019

The 2019 Spring Michigan Automotive Teachers Association (MATA) Conference was held at Lansing Community College in Lansing, MI on Thursday, March 14. The free event included technical training classes, a trade show, raffles and live demonstrations.

Approximately 110 educators and administrators attended the event. Educators attending the technical training sessions received certificates with 6 NATEF hours at the end of the conference.

Technical training presentations were provided by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Tesla, Atech, ASE, Jim Halderman, Joliet Junior College, Snap-on, CDX, Heimstadt-Wilson, Goodheart-Willcox and the CAAT. Nelson Kelly, CAAT Assistant Director, presented on Connected, Automated, and Intelligent Vehicles.

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DMA Fall Conference
Technical Career Pathways and Options — Putting the 'T' in STEM

November 2, 2018

The conference featured CTE success stories and highlight currently available best practices. The keynote speaker for the event was Mandi Damman, Chief Engineer for Autonomous Vehicles, General Motors. Other speakers discussed Michigan’s Marshall Plan for Talent, the  MI Bright Future program and best STEM practices in Genesee County. The event also featured an area-wide student panel.

The DMA conference is free, but registration is required.

2018 Fall SEMATA Conference

October 4, 2019

The 2018 Fall Southeastern Michigan Automotive Teachers Association (WEMATA) Conference was held at Macomb Community College's South Campus in Warren, MI on Thursday, October 4. The free event included technical training classes, a trade show, raffles and live demonstrations.

Approximately 130 educators and administrators attended the event. Educators attending the technical training sessions received certificates with 6 NATEF hours at the end of the conference.

Technical training presentations were provided by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Tesla, Atech, ASE, Jim Halderman, Joliet Junior College, Snap-on, CDX, Heimstadt-Wilson, Goodheart-Willcox and the CAAT. Nelson Kelly, CAAT Assistant Director, presented on Connected, Automated, and Intelligent Vehicles.

2018 Fall Professional Development Course
Electric-Drive Vehicle Technology

The workshop provided fundamentals of electric-drive vehicle powertrain configurations, electric propulsion components, energy storage systems, power electronics and electric machines to:

• Community college instructors
• 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty
• High school science and technology teachers
• Automotive industry professionals

Workshop Content

• Topic 1: Overview of HEV/PHEV/EV/FCV
• Topic 2: Advanced Battery Systems for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
• Topic 3: Power Electronics and Traction Motor for Electric-drive Vehicles
• Topic 4: Cooperative Connected Vehicle

Those attending this workshop received a certificate of completion accredited by Wayne State University, course materials, and a $150 stipend

2018 CAAT Conference
Testing Tomorrow's Autonomous Vehicles Today

April 20, 2018

The conference targeted automotive industry representatives and secondary and post-secondary automotive educators and administrators. Representatives from automotive-related government and professional organizations attended.

The event will featured keynote speaker, Carla Bailo, President and CEO, Center for Automotive Research, speaking on the Future of Mobility.

And included presentations on:

• Testing Autonomous Vehicles
• Autonomous Vehicle Simulation Testing
• Impact on the Workforce
• STEM Activities in Southeast Michigan

  Conference Information

2018 STEM Success for Women Telesummit

April 17-26, 2018

The 2018 Telesummit was a can't miss event for educators—particularly at the community college level—who are serious about broadening participation for female students and enrolling up to 25-50% female students in their STEM programs, and ensuring high retention rates.

This free online Telesummit was filled with secrets and strategies from 15 of the country's top experts and practitioners in the successful recruitment and retention of women and underserved populations in STEM and CTE.

2018 MATA Spring Conference

April 12, 2018

The inaugural Michigan Automotive Teachers Association (MATA) Conference was held on April 12, 2018 at Lansing Community College’s west campus. The event expanded the reach of the Southeast Michigan Automotive Teacher's Association (SEMATA) Conference to accommodate teachers from all over Michigan.

The conference began with a networking breakfast for approximately 120 attendees representing high-schools, community colleges, and universities with automotive educational programs. This was followed by a welcome and a discussion of industry updates by Kurtis LaHaie, an automotive instructor from Macomb Community College.

Eleven 70-minute technical training sessions were then offered. Attendees were able to select the three sessions that best met their training needs. CAAT Assistant Director, Nelson Kelly, was on hand to present two of the training sessions, which were:

1. The Road to Autonomous Vehicles
2. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles: The Chemistry, the Cars, the Careers

During breaks and lunch participants attended a trade show featuring 15 exhibitors who showcased their educational training materials and tools. The meeting ended with a round table discussion and a raffle of many prizes which were donated by the generous exhibitors.

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DMA Fall Conference
Resources for 21^st Century Jobs

November 3, 2017

The world is changing very rapidly. What the future holds for education and future jobs is a mystery. This conference attempted to provide clues for educators and students. Additionally it featured the world premiere of the “Ford Piquette Plant Documentary”. This film was funded by the DMA and is a gift to the museum.

One of the major initiatives of the DMA is to help students understand what careers are available to them via museum and industry tours. The documentary is intended as a teaching tool for students prior to visiting the Piquette Plant.

NACAT 2017 Conference
Drive-in' the Motor City

July 17-20, 2017

The CAAT and Macomb Community College hosted the 2017 North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Conference at our South Campus in Warren, MI.

The conference offered quality training sessions and workshops, a trade show,  and opportunities to meet some of the best trainers and educators in the automotive industry.

Conference Information

2017 Summer Professional Development Course
Advanced Automotive Technology

July 10 & 11, 2017
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Advanced Technology Education Center (ATEC)
Wayne State University
14601 E Twelve Mile Road
Warren, MI 48088

This workshop was designed to provide fundamental concepts of the emerging technology in advanced automotive technology to:

• Community college instructors
• 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty
• High school science and technology teachers
• Automotive industry professionals

Those attending this workshop will

• Explore state-of-the-art advanced automotive technology including fuel-cell systems for vehicles, cooperative connected vehicles, and lightweight materials for automotive applications.
• Discuss the emerging automotive technologies, course curriculum and lab development with professionals and peers
• Receive a certificate of completion accredited by Wayne State University, course materials, and a $200 stipend

Download the Course Flyer and Application Form.

If you have any questions, please contact Marsherry Jarrett at 313-577-9410 or yeh@wayne.edu.

2017 CAAT Conference
Driverless Cars, but What is Driving the Workforce?

April 28, 2017

The event featured keynote speaker, Kay Stepper, Vice President, Head of Regional Business Unit Driver Assistance & Automated Driving at Robert Bosch LLC.

The conference included:

• Technology updates on connected and automated vehicles, fuel cells, and lightweighting. (Macomb Community College)
• Workplace Reports from Oakland Workforce Development/Oakland County Michigan Works! and Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN)
• A panel discussion on workforce needs with representatives from industry and academia
• Curriculum development updates by Macomb Community College

Participants earned 2 NATEF Credits for attending the 2017 CAAT Conference.

Conference Information

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2016 Summer Professional Development Course
Electric-Drive Vehicles Technology

July 21 & 22, 2016
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Vehicle Technology Training Center
Automotive Technology
Erie Community College
5885 Big Tree Road
Orchard Park, NY 14127

This workshop was designed to provide the fundamentals of electric-drive vehicle powertrain configurations, electric propulsion components, energy storage systems, and light weighting materials to:

• Community college instructors
• 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty
• High school science and technology teachers
• Automotive industry professionals

Those attending this workshop will explore state-of-the-art advanced automotive technology including electric-drive vehicles, connected vehicles, energy storage systems, and light weighting materials.

Workshop participants will receive a certificate of completion accredited by Wayne State University, course materials, and a $200 stipend.

Download the Course Flyer and Application Form.

If you have any questions, please contact Chelsea Dundas at 313-577-0800 or FZ6043@wayne.edu.

2016 CAAT Conference
The Road to Autonomous Vehicles

May 6, 2016
Macomb Community College
South Campus, K building

This FREE event, offered by the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT), was held at Macomb Community College's South Campus in Warren, MI, on Friday, May 6, 2016.

Participants learned about the many complexities involved in the development of automated and connected vehicles, including the infrastructure needed to support these high tech vehicles. There are also many legal, insurance and cybersecurity concerns that must be addressed by the industry and government before full implementation of autonomous (self-driving) vehicles can occur.  The conference included a keynote presentation on the future of the automotive industry by Jeff Klei, President of Continental North America, and three Tech Talk sessions on the Challenges, Infrastructure and Cybersecurity of automated and connected vehicles.  Our impressive lineup of Tech Talk speakers and panelists provided insights on these complex issues from industry, government and educator perspectives, providing attendees with the information necessary to assess the technical training needs of future workers in advanced automotive technology.

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2015 Fall Professional Development Course
Electric-Drive Vehicles Technology

December 17 & 18, 2015
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Department of Industrial Systems and Technology
Jackson State University
Jackson, MS 39217

This workshop was designed to provide the fundamentals of electric-drive vehicle powertrain configurations, electric propulsion components, energy storage systems, and light weighting materials to:

• Community college instructors
• 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty
• High school science and technology teachers
• Automotive industry professionals

Those attending this workshop explored state-of-the-art advanced automotive technology including electric-drive vehicles, connected vehicles, energy storage systems, and light weighting materials.

Workshop participants received a certificate of completion accredited by Wayne State University, course materials, and a $200 stipend.

Download the course materials.

If you have any questions, please contact Joshua Routhier at 313-577-5386 or joshua.routhier@wayne.edu.

2015 CAAT Conference
Future Cars, Future Workforce

2015 CAAT Conference a Great Success!

The CAAT hosted its annual conference this year on May 1, 2015.  We were pleased to have approximately 130 attendees representing 11 States and 2 Countries, 11 universities, 18 community colleges, 9 School Districts, and 25 industry employers.

Last but certainly not least, we would like to send a very special "thank you" to our conference speakers, who shared a wealth of information with our conference attendees on the current direction of the automotive industry, and the workforce needed to support the many new and emerging advances in automotive technology.

• Jeff Gilbert, Reporter for WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBS Radio News
• Robert Healey, Head of EV Infrastructure, BMW NA
• Matt Smith, Program Manager, Michigan Department of Transportation
• Kristin Dziczek, Director, Industry and Labor Group, Center for Automotive Research

We hope this year's CAAT Conference was both enjoyable and informative!  Check out the conference presentations, they are all posted on the CAAT website so you can explore the information or share it with colleagues and friends. Download the presentations from the 2015 CAAT Conference, and visit the CAAT website.

Thank you to our conference sponsors for their participation and ongoing support of this annual event.

• Center for Automotive Research
• Design and Manufacturing Alliance
• SAE International

Last but certainly not least, we would like to send a very special "thank you" to our conference speakers, who shared a wealth of information with our conference attendees on the current direction of the automotive industry, and the workforce needed to support the many new and emerging advances in automotive technology.

• Jeff Gilbert, Reporter for WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBS Radio News
• Robert Healey, Head of EV Infrastructure, BMW NA
• Matt Smith, Program Manager, Michigan Department of Transportation
• Kristin Dziczek, Director, Industry and Labor Group, Center for Automotive Research

STEM Success for Women - Telesummit

The CAAT joined IWITTS and several other NSF ATE Center partners to promote a FREE STEM Success for Women Telesummit on Empowering Educators to Recruit and Retain More Women in STEM. The event was held April 13-16, 2015. In this virtual telesummit, funded by the National Science Foundation, some of the country's leading experts shared best practices for increasing the number of female students in STEM career pathways.

Deans, administrators, instructors and counselors left this virtual conference with immediate action steps to jumpstart their recruitment efforts and help their female students succeed. Focused exclusively on solutions backed by hard data and demonstrated outcomes, this was a can't-miss event for educators--particularly at the community college level --serious about achieving balance in their STEM programs and securing high retention rates for their female AND male students.

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2014 Summer Professional Development Course
Electric-Drive Vehicles Technology

June 7 & 8, 2014
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Lorain County Community College
1005 N Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035

Gene Liao

Download the presentations from the course.

If you have any questions, please contact Joyce Lien at 313-577-5386 or joycelien@wayne.edu.

2014 CAAT Conference
You Can't See the Future in the Rearview Mirror

This free conference by the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT) was held at Macomb Community College's South Campus on May 2, 2014. The event was targeted towards automotive industry workforce development representatives as well as secondary and postsecondary automotive educators, counselors, and school administrators.

The conference theme You Can’t See the Future in the Rearview Mirror was inspired by how the rapid pace of change in the automotive industry will continue and, in many ways will accelerate in part due to increasing fuel economy standards and the new technology needed to meet them. This conference examined the coming era for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers and what these changes in technology mean for educating and training the talent needed to support the industry now and in the future. Presentations were provided by representatives from government, industry, and education in a keynote session and technical session.

To learn more about this conference, visit its page on our website or download the presentations from it in our Resource Library.

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