At WPI, lifelong learning is an integral part of our educational philosophy. With personalized support and considerable flexibility, our graduate and professional development programs provide WPI’s distinctive project-based education to working professionals who seek real-world knowledge and skills to further in their careers.
Whether you’d like to gain a competitive advantage by maximizing the potential of your company’s workforce, or you're an individual interested in improving your skillset, WPI’s customizable programs are designed for busy working professionals and can be delivered online, on site, or through a blended approach. All programs are taught by WPI faculty and industry experts.
Customized Corporate Programs
Invest in your company’s most important asset—your employees. By providing employees with continued learning opportunities, your company will gain a more knowledgeable and productive workforce, attract and retain top talent, and remain on the cutting- edge of innovation.
Our expert instructors and dedicated support staff work with you to identify your team’s knowledge gaps, suggest opportunities for growth, and craft a curriculum that meets your learning needs and business goals.
- First, our team works with you to identify your business and educational goals through exploratory dialogue.
- Second, our team of industry experts crafts a curriculum to address your organization's specific educational gaps.
- Third, we develop a delivery option that meets the needs of your busy workforce—whether at your site, on the WPI campus, online, or through a blended approach.
- Finally, we provide post-program consultation options to ensure that skills learned in the classroom translate into action.
Workforce Development Programs
With our engaging workshops and training programs, your employees gain relevant skills and tools that can be immediately applied in the workforce. Workforce Development programs can be designed to meet your companies unique needs.
Some of our most popular programs include:
Systems Engineering
The Professional Development Series for Systems Engineering covers a wide range of topics such as Concepts of Systems Engineering, Stakeholder Needs, Systems Requirements, Systems Architecture and Design, and Systems Integration and Test. Throughout the program of study, the participants implement systems engineering methods and techniques taught on pre-selected projects and report their results. These topics are presented at a graduate level of quality and in a balanced theoretical and practical manner.
This program of study gives participants opportunities to explore systems engineering processes in the context of a complete product life cycle model, to elicit and express stakeholders expectations and requirements, to develop a user Concept of Operations (CONOPS), to plan and implement a risk management process, and to develop solution selection and acceptance criteria. The participants also explore best practices and techniques to conduct systems functional and performance analyses, manage requirements through the system lifecycle, develop creative alternative system architectures which address system operational, functional and physical viewpoints, manage system architecture and design through the product lifecycle, and develop strategies and plans for system integration, validation and verification testing. The program culminates with final status reports by the participants on their projects.
Process Improvement
WPI’s Process Improvement Workshops will teach you proven techniques to help address systemic process issues that may be holding back your organization from reaching maximum efficiency. This series of workshops—customizable to meet your organization’s needs—will teach timely strategies to better understand the root causes of process difficulties, and then apply this knowledge to:
- Reduce variation
- Remove activities that contribute no value to the product or service produced
- Improve customer satisfaction
- Alleviate wasteful frustration
Specific Workshop Topics (WPI Recommends a Series of At Least Three)
- Advanced Design of Experiments
- Advanced Problem Solving and Root Cause Analysis
- Design of Experiments
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for the Systems Engineering Environment
- Introduction to Six Sigma Process Improvement Tools and Concepts
- Statistical Process Control
- Value Stream Process Mapping
Lean / Six Sigma
Lean and Six Sigma are well established methodologies for quality improvement and cost reduction. These methodologies are more than just theoretical approaches; they have been proven to be effective in countless industries and companies around the world. Through a strong reliance on data, structured process, an empowered team, and a focus on the customer’s definition of quality and performance; these methodologies encompass a set of proven best practices.
Leadership & Management Development
Leadership and management training is a crucial investment for successful organizations. Leaders inspire and motivate the workforce, while managers plan, organize, and coordinate projects. These important contributors require training and support to maximize their effectiveness. Are your critical employees prepared for today's challenging business environment?
Additional Information: Employees at a mix of organizational levels can benefit from development in leadership and management. This path provides a choice of workshops across key topical areas, plus room for customization in other development topics such as Six Sigma or lean enterprise, among others. Your workforce will emerge ready with the tools, tips and techniques they need to be successful.
Your program manager will work with you to ensure learning objectives are focused and relevant, and will help you select workshops based on your organizational goals and the experience level of your participants. In addition, our corporate offerings can be delivered on-site, offering added convenience for your employees and a greater participant rate than off-site programs. Learn more about this certificate program below by filling out the above form.
We recommend at least three of the following workshops to provide a strong foundational knowledge:
- Becoming an Effective Leader
- Collaborative Communications
- Developing the Team Process for Continuous Improvement
- Essential Management Skills for New Managers
- Finance for Engineers and Technical Professionals
- Handling Conflict, Confrontation and Difficult People
- Improving Your Negotiating Skills
- Influencing and Managing Peers
- Leading an Effective Cross-Functional Team
- Leading Remote and Virtual Teams
- Leading Through Change
- Performance Management
- Powerful Presentation Skills
- Time Management
- Train the Trainer
Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)
Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) is a means of specifying engineering design and drawing requirements with respect to actual functions and relationships of part features. With the growing demand for more specifically and economically stated engineering design requirements, today's manufacturing professionals must thoroughly understand this universal engineering language.
Benefits of GD&T Training:
- Learn proficiency in reading engineering drawings
- Understand the latest in metrology techniques
- Gain basic knowledge of GD&T Symbology meanings and applications
- Successfully convey design intent, improve quality and reduce costs in the design-to-manufacturing process
- Apply the latest in tolerance management tools
This workshop will help you understand and use GD&T, the universal engineering language on engineering drawings. Your new skills, applicable to any manufactured product, will eliminate many of the communication problems prevalent in the design-to-manufacturing cycle.
Project Managment
Whether you are a senior executive, program manager, project manager or a project team member, it is your job to help your organization grow and increase its value form the project initiatives. Successful project planning and execution involves a carefully designed set of tools, techniques and processes designed to help manage change, drive competitive advantage, and deliver results in-line with your organization’s corporate strategy. Certification in Project Management is rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after credentials for today’s professionals. This workshop can be tailored when delivered on site or to intact teams to incorporate their best practices and specific needs.
Curriculum:
- Principles of Project Management Methodology Project Management Planning and Scheduling
- Setting Boundaries and Planning Techniques
- Project Leadership & Communications - Leading the Project Team
- Project Risk Management - Forecast, Monitor and Mitigate Risk
- Project Execution and Control - Running the Project and Project Pitfalls
Professional Development (non-credit) Trainings
Looking to build new skills or sharpen the ones you already have? WPI offers flexible professional development opportunities—both online and in person—that fit into your schedule. These short, targeted trainings are designed to help you learn, grow, and advance your career on your own time. Explore the options below to find the program that’s right for you.
In partnership with Quality Support Group (QSG)
In collaboration with Quality Support Group, WPI is thrilled to offer high-value professional training programs for industry professionals.
This partnership combines WPI’s world-class academic excellence with QSG’s proven expertise in training and consulting for quality, process improvement, and organizational excellence. Together, we will deliver engaging, practical programs designed to help organizations achieve measurable results and build long-term success.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
- This course is designed for individuals interested in being part of the CMMC ecosystem: suppliers of the Department of Defense (DoD) and Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and for those seeking CMMC certification. LEARN MORE.
ISO 27001 Management Standard / Cybersecurity
- Learn the fundamentals of ISO/IEC 27001 and how to implement and manage an Information Security Management System (ISMS). LEARN MORE.
TISAX – Automotive Cybersecurity Standard
- This 16-hour live course introduces the TISAX standard, providing an overview of its requirements, processes, and practical implementation to enhance information security in the automotive industry, along with guidance on assessments and auditing. LEARN MORE.
Biotechnology & Life Sciences
Life Sciences: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Training
- Participants will learn the GMP requirements and appropriate strategies to meet them, as well as gain the skills necessary for developing and implementing effective procedures to meet GMP requirements. LEARN MORE.
Life Sciences: Quality Regulatory Systems / FDA Requirements Training
- This live course is designed for individuals involved with medical device development, as well as those who would like to learn about the FDA regulatory approval process for medical devices. LEARN MORE.
BioMedical: ISO 13485 Medical Device Quality Management System (QMS) Internal Auditor Training
- This course is appropriate for anyone who wishes to learn about changes to the ISO 13485:2016 standard or anyone beginning at the introductory level of ISO 13485:2016. LEARN MORE.
BioTech: Process Validation
- This course is designed for individuals responsible for planning and operating a compliant process validation program in medical device and pharma industries. LEARN MORE.
Technical Skills and Manufacturing Toolkit
Process Improvement/Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- This course is designed for engineers, operations personnel, quality professionals, researchers, and managers who need to understand and use statistical control methods. LEARN MORE.
- In-person offering, October 2025.
Advanced GD&T
- This advanced course helps students apply GD&T to achieve the mating and functional requirements of their parts. LEARN MORE.
Data Mining
- This course is designed for engineers, quality professionals, researchers, and managers who need to understand and extract information from observational data such as key process input variables or process drivers. LEARN MORE.
DFM&A
- This 3-day in person onsite workshop that will provide you with fundamental knowledge and hands-on practice with Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM&A) principles and key tools. LEARN MORE.
DOE
- This live virtual course is designed for engineers, quality professionals, researchers, and managers who need to understand and use Design of Experiment (DOE) for process screening and characterizing. LEARN MORE.
Problem Solving
- This virtual course is designed for production employees, managers, and supervisors who will learn to describe the problem, formulate an accurate problem statement, apply root cause analysis tools, and implement potential solutions. LEARN MORE.
FMEA
- This 2-day workshop addresses all of the elements of the Design (DFMEA) and Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA) process consistent with the intent and guidelines in the AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook (1st edition, 2019) issued by AIAG and VDA, as well as Control Plans in accordance with APQP Second Edition and IATF 16949:2016. LEARN MORE.
Lean Sigma Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt
- This virtual course is designed for managers, professionals, or technicians who support Green or Black Belt projects. LEARN MORE.
- In-person offering, October 2025
Online & On Demand Trainings
Designed to bring professional development and educational opportunities to you, conveniently, wherever you may be. Programs are self-paced and on-demand so you can work on them when your schedule allows. New leadership and professional development programs are being added frequently.
- Cheryl Chaput
- Manager of Engineering Leadership Development Program
- BAE Systems
- Andrew Hastings
- Constant Contact
Grant Funding Eligibility
Several of the BETC’s workforce development training programs are eligible for express grant funding through the Massachusetts Workforce Development Training Funding, administered by Commonwealth Corporation. The Workforce Training Fund Program helps address business productivity and competitiveness by providing resources to Massachusetts businesses to fund training for current and newly hired employees. The funding is available to businesses of all sizes, with increased levels of funding for small to mid-sized businesses.