Engineered for Success: Engineering Technician Training for Rural Arizona

通过“为成功而设计：亚利桑那州农村工程技术员培训”项目，亚瓦派学院(YC)将对其应用工程预科课程进行改进，以提高能力、改善学生学习，并满足行业对高技能工程技术人员的需求。正如项目标题所示，重点将是改善亚利桑那州农村社区学生的机会。一条通往综合系统工程技术员认证的新途径将被纳入现有的应用前期工程计划。新途径将帮助学生更深入地了解复杂系统以及它们是如何联系在一起的。基于问题的学习(PBL)教学法的引入将帮助学生将来自多门课程的不同知识联系起来，以解决现实世界的挑战。新的实习机会将让学生接触到实际的工作环境。九个可堆叠的行业认可证书、三个证书和两个大专学位将为学生提供中等技能工作或额外的高等教育选择。将扩大针对农村高中生的外联活动，并为中学女生设立机器人夏令营，以增加女学生在该项目中的入学人数。营销活动将改善家长、教师和学生获得有关科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)职业和培训计划的信息。改进的应用工程预科课程将包括针对高中生的大学早期课程，将纳入最佳实践学生支持战略，如现场辅导和扩大使用现代设备进行应用学习的机会。该项目将采取的行动是根据亚利桑那州科学基金会(SFAz)开发的STEM路径指南开发和实施的YC应用前期工程计划的初步评估的结果。工程计划的总体目标是：亚利桑那州农村项目的工程技术人员培训：1)培养更多合格的工程技术人员以满足劳动力需求，以及2)改善工程技术人员教育。实现这些广泛目标的战略包括，但不限于，通过参与行业咨询委员会，确保技术人员培训满足行业需求，增加招生人数和课程能力，通过有针对性的外展努力提高认识和兴趣，以及改进教学，以更有力地展示相关性和实际行业应用。将使用机构数据评估预期成果的实现情况，以衡量项目的量化影响(例如，入学人数、完成的学位/证书、人口结构变化等)。以及评估质量影响的调查(例如，教学实践、学生态度/看法的变化)。作为亚利桑那州科学基金会STEM路径网络的成员，YC将通过这个项目来展示该组织的STEM路径模型的适用性并扩展其知识。

Through its project, Engineered for Success: Engineering Technician Training for Rural Arizona, Yavapai College (YC) will implement enhancements to its Applied Pre-engineering Program to increase capacity, improve student learning, and respond to industry's need for highly-skilled engineering technicians. As indicated by the project title, the focus will be on improving opportunities for students in rural Arizona communities. A new pathway leading to certification as an Integrated Systems Engineering Technician will be incorporated into an existing Applied Pre-engineering Program. The new pathway will help students gain a deeper understanding of complex systems and how they are connected and work together. The introduction of problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy will help students connect diverse knowledge from multiple courses to solve real-world challenges. New internship opportunities will give students exposure to the actual work environment. Nine stackable industry-recognized credentials, three certificates and two Associates Degrees will give students options for employment in middle skills jobs or additional postsecondary education. Outreach events targeting rural high school students will be expanded and a summer Robotics Camp for middle school girls will be instituted with the aim of increasing enrollment of female students in the program. A marketing campaign will improve parents', teachers' and students' access to information about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers and training programs. The improved Applied Pre-engineering Program, which will include an early college program for high school students, will incorporate best practice student support strategies, such as on-site tutoring and expanded access to applied learning using modern equipment. The actions to be undertaken in this project were determined as a result of a preliminary assessment of the YC Applied Pre-engineering Program that was developed and implemented based upon the STEM Pathways Guide, which was developed by Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz).The overarching goals of the Engineered for Success: Engineering Technician Training for Rural Arizona project are to: 1) produce more qualified engineering technicians to meet workforce demands, and 2) improve engineering technician education. Strategies for accomplishing these broad goals include, but are not limited to, assuring technician training meets industry needs by engaging an Industry Advisory Council, increasing enrollment and course capacity, raising awareness and interest through targeted outreach efforts, and improving teaching to more strongly demonstrate relevance and practical industry applications. Attainment of anticipated outcomes will be assessed using institutional data to measure quantitative impacts of the project (e.g. enrollment, degrees/certificates completed, demographic changes, etc.) and surveys to gauge qualitative impacts (e.g. changes in teaching practices, student attitudes/perceptions). As a member of Science Foundation Arizona's STEM Pathways Network, YC will seek to demonstrate the applicability of and expand knowledge about the organization's STEM Pathways Model through this project.