Retooling A Machine Tool Technician Program In North Central Wisconsin to Support Diversity, Flexibility, and Accessibility

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The north central Wisconsin region is a hotspot for machine tool technician jobs, more than double the national average. This project from Northcentral Technical College will integrate research and education to combine a revised curriculum with targeted outreach to nontraditional populations to improve outcomes in their Machine Tool Technician Program. Over the three-year project, 30 students will be recruited to complete credentials that will lead to high demand technician careers. Northcentral Technical College will revise its Machine Tooling program to (1) include industry relevant skills, (2) adopt flexible scheduling, (3) provide culturally relevant professional development for faculty and staff, (4) perform outreach through the College’s Advanced Manufacturing and Emerging Technologies mobile labs, and (5) establish peer/near-peer mentorships. As a result, the college intends to increase recruitment, matriculation, completion, and employment of students in the Machine Tool Technician program, with an emphasis on students of Southeast Asian/Hmong descent. Students will have the option to earn up to four stackable credentials ranging from a 4-credit certificate to a 58-credit degree. The overall goal of the Project is to increase the skilled machine tool technician workforce in central Wisconsin. Thirty students are expected to enroll over the three-year period with a special focus on broadening participation in the profession of populations that are significantly underrepresented in the field. The project’s objective is to increase awareness of, access to, and enrollment in machine tool technician educational and career pathways for non-traditional students with an emphasis on Southeast Asian/Hmong adults. The current curriculum will be reviewed and modified to include current machine tool technologies, culturally responsive teaching, internships, and flexible delivery options. Machine tool program faculty, advisors, instructional assistants, and other student services personnel will participate in professional development on Southeast Asian/Hmong culture in order to better relate to and support their learning. Collaboration with the Hmong American Center and local manufacturing leaders will support recruitment, identification of project mentors, and community outreach. Workforce mentors will provide guidance and encouragement to students by sharing personal and career experiences. The Machine Tool Advisory Committee/Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT) will provide project oversight. The project team will collaborate with regional cultural organizations, workforce development boards, job centers, and regional machine tool employers to implement and disseminate the full scope of work. 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.