Manufacturing engineering education for underrepresented populations in the southeast

The manufacturing sector of the southeast United States is experiencing impressive growth and is becoming a driving force for economic development. To sustain this momentum, a large workforce professionally educated in manufacturing principles and technology is needed. This can only be realized if the region's underrepresented populations are included. This paper discusses the development of a manufacturing engineering curriculum to be implemented at high schools with large percentages of underrepresented students. The curriculum is designed to create interest in manufacturing engineering among underrepresented students and to encourage and prepare them to study engineering in college.