YPSILANTI TWP. – The American Center for Mobility will work with 15 colleges and universities across Michigan to create the Academic Consortium aimed at training next generation high-tech talent at its connected and automated vehicle technologies facility at the Willow Run airport.
ACM and the Academic Consortium will partner to create educational pathways to train and prepare students to support automated vehicle testing and implementation. The members will work together to identify workforce courses and training programs as well as recruitment opportunities, internships, co-op and work study programs for Academic Consortium students.
“We are proud to partner with Michigan’s world-class academic institutions to ensure we have the top talent needed to lead this automotive and technological innovation,” said John Maddox, president & CEO of ACM. “This first-of-its kind collaboration will solidify Michigan’s place as a global hub for CAV technologies and future mobility, as well as ACM as an incubator to address the specific needs of industry to drive the future of transportation.”
Gov. Rick Snyder joined ACM and academic leaders to celebrate the formation of the Academic Consortium as a major milestone in the state’s efforts to attract, retain and develop the workforce that will design and build the connected and automated vehicles of tomorrow.
“As the automotive industry continues to evolve, it’s critical for Michigan’s economy and our future that we have the best workforce possible to continue leading this reinvention,” Snyder said. “The Academic Consortium at the American Center for Mobility represents the exact convergence of talent and education necessary to keep Michigan at the forefront of the automated vehicle movement.”
Members of the Academic Consortium include: Eastern Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Kettering University, Lawrence Technological University, Macomb Community College, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Oakland University, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Michigan, University of Michigan Dearborn, Washtenaw Community College, Wayne County Community College, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.
The American Center for Mobility is a non-profit testing, education and product development facility for future mobility, designed to enable safe validation and self-certification of connected and automated vehicle technology and future mobility, and to accelerate the development of voluntary standards. ACM is one of 10 U.S. DOT designated Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds in the U.S. ACM is also part of PlanetM, a collaborative that represents Michigan’s unique and vast ecosystem, connecting resources and opportunities for its consortium of members.
Made up of industry, government and academia, partners in PlanetM share the common goal of leading the development of smart solutions that will change the way people and goods are transported across all modes of transportation.
To learn more about ACM, visit www.acmwillowrun.org.
