Path to Information Technology (IT) Practice: Increasing Credential Completions in IT within the Southern Tier of Virginia

有充分的证据表明，信息技术（It）劳动力长期人手不足，并且预测表明，It工人的短缺将在几年内达到惊人的水平。该项目的目标是增加来自弗吉尼亚南区社区学院的学生数量，特别是那些目前在IT专业中代表性不足的学生，他们准备进入该地区的IT劳动力。该项目将针对双招生项目中的高中生和成人学习者，采用一种文化响应模式，以提高入学率和保留率。项目目标将通过部署一个项目基础设施来实现，该项目基础设施包含了一个全面的招聘策略，特别关注传统上在IT职业中代表性不足的群体的学生，再加上学术支持策略、身份建设和自我效能活动，以确保学生的成功。该项目团队将研究如何增加社区大学IT项目的招生和取得成功，特别是在传统上在IT职业中代表性不足的学生中。受教育程度的提高与生活水平的提高、工资的增加以及总体繁荣和福利呈正相关。这个项目有可能提高对所有学生，尤其是那些传统上在IT专业中代表性不足的学生的文化响应性建议的理解和实施。这项工作的结果将通知州长的G3倡议(“获得一项技能。找份工作。Get Ahead”)，该组织致力于让获得证书的学生重返校园，提高技能，以适应新兴的技术职业。为学生提供机会，特别是那些被边缘化的学生，将通过增加女性和少数族裔获得证书的人数，帮助解决IT行业的差距问题。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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

It is well documented that the Information Technology (IT) workforce is chronically understaffed, and predictions show that the shortage of IT workers will reach alarming levels in a few years. The goal of this project is to increase the number of students from Southside Virginia Community College, especially those from populations currently underrepresented in the IT professions, who are ready to enter the regional IT workforce. The project will target high school students in dual enrollment programs, as well as adult learners, employing a culturally responsive model that will increase enrollments and retention. Project goals will be attained by the deployment of a program infrastructure that incorporates a comprehensive recruitment strategy, with a specific focus on students from groups traditionally underrepresented in IT careers, coupled with academic support strategies and identity-building and self-efficacy activities to ensure student success.The project team will study methods to increase recruitment and attainment of success in community college IT programs, especially among students traditionally underrepresented in IT careers. Increased educational attainment is positively correlated with higher standards of living, increased wages, and overall prosperity and welfare. This project has the potential to improve the understanding and implementation of culturally responsive advising for all students, but especially for those traditionally underrepresented in IT professions. Results from this work will inform the Governor's G3 Initiative ("Get a Skill. Get a Job. Get Ahead") in Virginia, which is focused on getting credentialed students back to school to upskill for emerging technical careers. Providing opportunities for students, specifically those who are marginalized, will help address the gap in the IT industry by increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities obtaining credentials. 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.