Building Career Interest in Computer Science through Advanced Real-World Technology Projects

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It is estimated that the Connecticut region has 7,000 unfilled computer jobs and 12,000 unfilled jobs in advanced manufacturing. Although African American and Latino workers now represent 29% of the general workforce population, they comprise only 15% of the computer science and 16% of the advanced manufacturing workforce. To increase access to these high-paying technical jobs, this project will design and implement a five-week program intended to increase the interest of inner-city high school students in computer science applications in advanced manufacturing. The program activities will take place at Connecticut’s Community Colleges, with significant input from regional computer science and advanced manufacturing industries. The overall goal of the project is to motivate high school students to pursue careers as STEM technicians, thus helping to address advanced technology workforce needs.The project will implement problem-based learning to teach students the process of solving real-world, industry-relevant challenges that include the building, programming, and flying of drones. In addition, it will help students learn professional skills such as teamwork and leadership, through participation in the challenges and through internships in related industries. Strategies to support student persistence will include mentoring, career profile videos, student success stories, and guest speakers from industry. The project will provide professional development workshops for high school and community college educators. These workshops will focus on how to use drones to introduce computer science and how to integrate professional skills into the curriculum. The participating teachers will develop curriculum modules that will be distributed nationally and contribute to the sustainability of the project. 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.