Project Grant 2554840

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Piedmont Technical College Inc. $1.721 million on October 1, 2026, under the Advanced Technological Education Program (CFDA 47.076) to develop and implement a next-generation technician workforce training model for advanced manufacturing and electric vehicle supply chains.

Piedmont will identify workforce needs, develop and test industry-responsive curriculum, strengthen partnerships among two-year colleges, four-year colleges, industry partners, and credentialing organizations, and pilot a scalable learner pathway. The project will create technical and employability modules covering EV supply chains, logistics, smart factories, digital twins, quality and compliance, recycling and recovery, and workplace skills. Curriculum will incorporate digital learning, digital twin simulations, and credentialing mechanisms tested with learners and refined through implementation evidence. Deliverables include microcredentials, instructional resources, trained faculty, and evaluation findings through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and independent assessment.

The award runs through September 30, 2029, with place of performance in Greenwood, South Carolina. The project strengthens pathways into high-demand careers aligned with domestic manufacturing, energy security, supply-chain resilience, and technological leadership. Intellectual merit derives from advancing understanding of how digital tools, simulation, credentialing, and industry partnerships improve technician education at scale for national adoption.