Washtenaw Community College (WCC) will attend the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, highlighting its programs to prepare the EV and mobility workforce of today and tomorrow.

WCC partners with the auto industry to understand needs and develop programs to train the EV and cybersecurity workforce

With its all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E and demonstrations of Umlaut automotive cybersecurity workbenches identical to those used in industry, WCC will showcase its integrated approach and cutting-edge technology used to prepare students for careers in the rapidly changing automotive industry.

A leader among its peers in training students for mobility jobs of the future, WCC will be the only community college at the Detroit Auto Show’s AutoMobili-D days on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 14-15. Automotive industry companies are invited to WCC’s booth on the main floor of the Huntington Place in downtown Detroit to visit with automotive and cybersecurity faculty.

The college, located about 30 miles from Detroit, partners closely with business and industry to understand workforce needs and develop programs to educate and train the mobility talent pipeline.

At any given time the college enrolls 1,000 students in more than 60 automotive and cybersecurity technology career pathways and courses for skill-building and job training.

Highlights of WCC’s efforts in the transportation and mobility landscape in recent years include:

• In 2014 WCC launched its Advanced Transportation Center, uniquely combining automotive technologies, advanced manufacturing and IT into a holistic curriculum approach.
• In 2017 WCC became the only community college to join the University of Michigan-led Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT). WCC’s role in the consortium is to apply the research and knowledge gained from this partnership in the classroom.
• In 2020 the college was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The college offers a Cybersecurity Associate Degree, an Automotive Cybersecurity Certificate and other cyber certificates, in addition to transportation technologies programs.
• In 2021 WCC was the first community college in the state to acquire the EV Ford Mustang Mach-E to prepare students for the rapidly evolving automotive industry. During the past academic year, the Mach-E has been integrated into the curriculum to help students learn how to diagnose, repair and calibrate advanced driver assistance systems and battery electric motor powertrains.
• This Fall semester WCC debuted its new Automotive Cybersecurity Lab. The lab features state-of-the-art Umlaut workbenches that allow students to complete hands-on exercises to test automobile network and infrastructure security, helping to protect drivers from cybersecurity attacks. Visitors to WCC’s Auto Show booth can see this workbench in action.

About Washtenaw Community College

Washtenaw Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, Mich., educates students through a wide range of associate and certificate programs in areas such as health care, business, STEM and advanced transportation and mobility. WCC offers accelerated and online programs and was ranked the number one community college in Michigan, according to schools.com. WCC is committed to student success, with nearly 70% of students intending to transfer to complete a bachelor degree. The college also works through community, business and union partnerships to develop highly specialized training programs to meet the region’s workforce talent needs.

For more information about Washtenaw Community College, visit www.wccnet.edu.