Development and Deployment of the Purdue TAP Green Enterprise Development Program

Purdue University–Mechanical, Engineering, and Technology (MET) faculty and Purdue Technical Assistance Program (TAP) staff partnered with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to create a new workforce training program and certificate exam in the field of green manufacturing. This article describes how the body of knowledge for the training program and exam was assembled and validated, how training materials were developed, and how training methods practiced by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers were incorporated into a culture changing worker training program.