Education readiness levels (ERLS): A scale for assessing educational coursework and training modules

There is renewed interest in workforce development and manufacturing education/training thanks to the establishment of the Manufacturing USA Institutes, originally called the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMIs). As part of their efforts to bridge the gap between basic research and technology commercialization, these institutes are nurturing curriculum development and outreach activities related to their technological foci. As community colleges and universities scramble to respond to the increased demand for a highlyeducated workforce with specific advanced manufacturing skills, the institutes are struggling to assess the educational artefacts that are being developed as part of their research funding to educate and (re)train the workforce. In this paper, we introduce Education Readiness Levels (ERLs) to evaluate the "readiness" of educational artefacts-courses, programs, modules, lesson plans, and hands-on activities-based on seven critical elements: class size, cost, instructors, depth of content, facilities, target audience and course material. We define 10 readiness levels for each element (0-9), and codify each level by extending the corresponding scale on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) or Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL). Using our ERLs, courses can be evaluated based on the scores for each element, identifying areas performing well and those that need improvement. The ERLs are represented graphically, allowing for easy comparison between courses and established targets. One can also measure progress using the ERLs, especially for courses and training modules of upcoming areas of manufacturing. To demonstrate the scale, we apply the ERLs to several funded projects from America Makes, the first Manufacturing USA Institute, whose focus is on 3D printing and additive manufacturing.