Increasing the Number of Workforce-ready Engineering Technicians in Southeastern Pennsylvania

该项目旨在通过增加训练有素的工程技术人员的数量，为国家对熟练的STEM劳动力的需求做出贡献。 为了招收更多的学生进入工程技术课程，该项目将与学院的劳动力发展中心签订衔接协议。 通过这种衔接，对工程技术应用科学学位的副学士学分将授予通过劳动力发展中心获得的具体认证。 此外，该项目还将为其他先前的学习颁发证书、数字徽章或大学学分，包括从军事训练中获得的知识和技能。 该项目打算加强工程技术课程，包括一门关于制造技术的新课程，要求开设强调创业精神的商业课程，并发展诸如工作跟踪和实习等实际经验。 该项目还将支持巴克斯县社区学院和德雷克塞尔大学之间的合作，以加强工程技术人员和工程技术人员的教育。 预计改进后的工程技术课程以及证书和副学士学位之间的创新联系将增加能够满足当地和区域雇主需求的工程技术人员数量。该项目旨在发展四个巴克斯县社区学院课程或部门之间的强大合作：工程技术计划，商业研究部门，劳动力发展中心（授予几个工程相关的认证）和行业咨询委员会（就行业需求和趋势相关的问题向学院提供建议）。 通过这种合作，该项目旨在使工程技术课程现代化，以增加对软技能培训和职业探索的重视，并开发相关的认证和/或其他证书。作为这一现代化的一部分，将开发一个具有最新实验室组成部分的学分制制造课程。该项目计划提供机会，帮助学生探索工程技术人员的职业选择，包括正式的工作阴影计划。 预计该项目将通过增加追求工程技术人员职业的学生人数，并通过更好地准备这些技术人员在工作中取得成功，来满足国家对训练有素的STEM劳动力的需求。 它也有可能为如何成功地将认证计划与信用计划联系起来创造一个模式。 这种模式可以被其他学院和大学实施。 该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to contribute to the national need for a skilled STEM workforce by increasing the number of well-trained engineering technicians. To recruit more students into the Engineering Technology program, the project will develop articulation agreements with the College's Center for Workforce Development. Through this articulation, credits toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Engineering Technology will be granted for specific certifications obtained through the Center for Workforce Development. In addition, the project will award certifications, digital badges, or college credits for other prior learning, including knowledge and skills gained from military training. The project intends to strengthen the Engineering Technology curriculum by including a new course on manufacturing technology, requiring business courses that emphasize entrepreneurship, and developing practical experiences such as job-shadowing and internships. The project will also support a collaboration between Bucks County Community College and Drexel University to strengthen the education of both engineering technicians and engineering technologists. It is expected that the improved Engineering Technology curriculum and the innovative connection between certifications and an associate degree will increase the number of engineering technicians who can meet the needs of local and regional employers.The project aims to develop robust collaborations between four Bucks County Community College programs or departments: The Engineering Technology program, the Business Studies Department, the Center for Workforce Development (which awards several engineering-relevant certifications), and the Industry Advisory Board (which advises the College on issues related to industry needs and trends). Through this collaboration, the project aims to modernize the Engineering Technology curriculum to increase the emphasis on soft skills training and career exploration, and to develop associated certifications and/or other credentials. As part of this modernization, a credit-bearing manufacturing course with an updated laboratory component will be developed. The project plans to offer opportunities that help students explore engineering technician career options, including a formalized job shadowing program. It is expected that the project will contribute to the national need for a highly-trained STEM workforce by increasing the number of students who pursue engineering technician careers, and by better preparing these technicians to be successful on the job. It also has the potential to create a model for how to successfully link certification programs to credit-bearing programs. Such a model might be implemented by other colleges and universities. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.