Collaborative Research: Improving the Educational Experiences, Outcomes, and Career Pathways of Welding Technology Students

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Despite the increasing demand for welding technology professionals at local, regional, and national levels, the number of welding technology (WT) graduates has declined. This project aims to address this need, as well as to help develop a deeper understanding of WT career pathways. To do so, the project team will investigate the experiences and perceptions of WT students who begin their education and training at community colleges and the expectations of WT faculty, higher education administrators, and employers. The purpose of this exploratory research study is to: (1) identify personal/social/life factors that affect the career pathways of WT students and their decision to obtain credentials (associate degrees, certificates) and matriculate into a four-year program; (2) identify obstacles and issues that contribute to WT student attrition; and (3) create materials and activities to support retention, associate degree attainment, and matriculation into a 2+2 program in welding technology. The project is a collaboration between researchers and technician educators from the University of Michigan, Macomb Community College, Monroe County Community College, and Wayne State University.Guided by a conceptual framework that draws on the work of Hisrchy, Bremer, and Castellano (2011) and Phelps and Prevost (2012), this qualitative and quantitative exploratory mixed methods research project is guided by the overarching question: What are the factors and experiences associated with the career pathways of welding technology students? The research team will investigate (1) specific welding technology program features (e.g., articulated dual-credit high school courses, internships, etc.) that are associated with optimal student outcomes (e.g., retention, degree completion, matriculation, employment). They will also examine ways in which key stakeholders (e.g., faculty; administrators) can use the findings to inform strategic program improvement and decision-making. Thematic analysis of qualitative data will be applied to uncover and test the elements of the career pathways framework. Survey data will be analyzed using analysis of variance to test the mean differences and interaction effects that may occur among variables/elements of the career pathways framework. This approach will identify non-significant and significant differences across different groups of students, variables, and institutions and provide insights into the phenomenological aspects of education and career development. 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.