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In 1993, a study was conducted to investigate the responses of associate degree programs in manufacturing and related technical programs to current technical education initiatives. The study focused on the relationships of associate degree programs to secondary and postsecondary education and industry, curricular trends, familiarity with the Department of Labor's Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), inclusion of Total Quality Management (TQM) in instruction, and the use of nontraditional and distance learning capabilities. Survey forms were mailed to 286 program directors listed in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' (SME's) 1992 "Directory of Manufacturing Education." Study findings, based on 140 usable responses (49%), included the following: (1) 42% of the associate degree programs in manufacturing listed in the SME directory were located in six states; (2) 84% of the responding program administrators reported relationships with secondary schools, while 52% reported relationships with universities; (3) curricular areas evidencing an increase in emphasis over the past 4 years included artificial intelligence, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, microcomputers, and quality control; (4) about 50% of the programs offered students opportunities for cooperative education experiences; (5) over 50% of the respondents indicated that faculty used industry experiences for skills upgrading, while 70% mentioned relationships between industry and their college for employee upgrading; and (6) 86% of the associate degree in manufacturing programs included TQM content, as did 71% of the related technical programs. Data tables, open-ended responses, and the survey instrument are included. (PAA)

Describes a national project to unite businesses and community colleges in the production of CD-ROM instructional materials for 22 workplace competencies in 16 modules. Indicates that the program is currently in the "proof of concept" phase, in which 5 community colleges are creating technology-based teaching modules for 9 competencies and infusing them into existing programs. (MAB)