Washtenaw Community College takes part in North American International Auto Show with display of EV, cybersecurity courses

The North American International Auto Show, which takes place in Detroit, played host to Washtenaw Community College as it highlighted its programs in electric vehicles and related fields, as reported in a press release.

Washtenaw Community College showcased the technology it uses to teach students about EVs and cybersecurity in the auto industry. The school has an electric Ford Mustang Mach-E and uses Umlaut cybersecurity workbenches like those used in the workforce. 

WCC was the only community college at the Auto Show’s AutoMobili-D days earlier this week. Automotive companies were invited to the school’s booth to speak with their cybersecurity and automotive faculty and instructors. 

Washtenaw Community College is 30 miles outside of Detroit and closely partners with the automotive industry to stay up to date on what it needs in new employees to create programs that best train students interested in the field. Of the 1,000 students who are generally enrolled in the school at any given time, between 60 and 70 are usually enrolled in automotive and cybersecurity programs.

In recent years, Washtenaw Community College has made strides to improve its ability to educate and train students in the automotive industry. Back in 2014, it launched its Advanced Transportation Center, which combines automotive technologies, IT, and advanced manufacturing into one curriculum. In 2017, the school became the only community college to join the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation led by the University of Michigan. In 2020, the college was named by the U.S. National Security Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. Last year, WCC was the first Michigan-based community college to get an EV Ford Mustang Mach-E for educational use. Most recently, this fall semester, the school has unveiled its new Automotive Cybersecurity Lab, which uses the aforementioned Umlaut Workbenches.

Washtenaw Community College is located in Ann Arbor and has a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs in areas beyond automotive, such as healthcare, business, and other STEM-related fields. WCC also offers online programs with an accelerated curriculum. Almost 70% of WCC’s students intend to transfer after completion of their program to a school that offers bachelor's degrees. WCC also works with unions, businesses, and the community to refine its programs to suit the needs of industry in the region.

More information about Washtenaw Community College can be found here.

More information about the North American International Auto Show can be found here.