Expanding a Multi-skilled STEM Technician Pipeline to Meet Industry Needs

扩大多技能 STEM 技术人员管道以满足行业需求

• 批准号: 2201663
• 负责人: Melissa Robbins
• 金额: $ 63.5万
• 依托单位: Johnston Community College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-07-01 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2201663&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Expanding; Multi; skilled; STEM; Technician

Johnston Community College’s (JCC) Expanding a Multi-skilled STEM Technician Pipeline to Meet Industry Needs “Bio Blend 2.0” seeks to better prepare students to meet biotechnology company hiring needs and to improve employment outcomes for underserved populations, specifically focusing our recruitment of neurodiverse individuals on the autism spectrum. JCC is located one hour south of Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, where the demand for well-trained and diverse biopharma technicians is growing and exceeding the number of technicians currently produced from local and regional community colleges. Bio Blend 2.0 will further modify Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology curriculum to provide access to distributed control system software (DeltaV), work-based learning, and internship opportunities with a goal of enrolling 50 students in years two and three of this project. The project will broaden participation of students with autism at JCC by 150%, leading to greater participation of neurodiverse individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related programs. This three-year project will provide opportunities for DeltaV certification, Bio Blend certification, and Associates Degrees in Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology. Project results will include an increased number of trained technicians for local partners with national scalability for other colleges and industries. Bio Blend 2.0 seeks to accomplish three goals: 1) Modify Bio Blend curriculum, course progression, and resources based on stakeholder feedback and expand to all degree students across both the Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology programs; 2) Improve the Talent Pipeline to meet workforce and industry needs by developing a work-based learning experience and soft-skills training; and 3) Increase neurodiversity in the Applied Engineering and Bioprocess Technology programs to include more individuals from the autism spectrum. As part of the Bio Blend 2.0 project, DeltaV, the distributed control system used by many biotech companies, will be embedded into the curriculum across both programs. The project will also increase diversity and inclusion as it relates to the neurodivergent population. This is based on local industry feedback, unemployment rates for this population, and familiarity with a successful STEM program specifically for individuals with autism at other colleges. Faculty will receive training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support diverse learners. JCC will also offer summer professional development opportunities for middle and high school educators and career counselors to strengthen the pipeline from public schools to postsecondary technician education. Industry feedback through advisory council meetings, classroom support, and on-going communication will improve student engagement and project outcomes. JCC’s Career Coach will facilitate learning communities for all students with specific focus for neurodiverse students on the autism spectrum. Bio Blend 2.0 will ultimately produce a more diverse and talented group of students from Applied Engineering and Biotechnology, ready to enter the workforce with hands-on applicable experience and certifications to fill the local industry need. 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.

约翰斯顿社区学院（JCC）扩大多技能STEM技术人员管道，以满足行业需求“生物融合2.0”旨在更好地培养学生，以满足生物技术公司的招聘需求，并改善就业成果的服务不足的人群，特别是专注于我们的自闭症谱系神经多样性个体的招聘。JCC位于北卡罗来纳州研究三角公园以南一小时车程处，那里对训练有素和多样化的生物制药技术人员的需求正在增长，超过了当地和区域社区学院目前培养的技术人员的数量。Bio Blend 2.0将进一步修改应用工程和生物工艺技术课程，以提供分布式控制系统软件（DeltaV），基于工作的学习和实习机会，目标是在该项目的第二年和第三年招收50名学生。该项目将扩大自闭症学生在JCC的150%的参与，导致神经多样性的个人在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）相关计划的更多参与。这个为期三年的项目将提供DeltaV认证，生物混合认证和应用工程和生物工艺技术副学士学位的机会。项目成果将包括为当地合作伙伴提供更多训练有素的技术人员，并为其他学院和行业提供全国性的可扩展性。 Bio Blend 2.0旨在实现三个目标：1）根据利益相关者的反馈修改Bio Blend课程，课程进度和资源，并扩展到应用工程和生物工艺技术课程的所有学位学生; 2）通过开发基于工作的学习体验和软技能培训，改善人才管道，以满足劳动力和行业需求; 3）增加应用工程和生物过程技术项目中的神经多样性，以包括更多的自闭症患者。作为Bio Blend 2.0项目的一部分，DeltaV，许多生物技术公司使用的分布式控制系统，将嵌入到两个项目的课程中。该项目还将增加多样性和包容性，因为它涉及到神经分歧人群。这是基于当地行业的反馈，这一人群的失业率，以及熟悉一个成功的STEM计划，专门为自闭症患者在其他大学。教师将接受通用学习设计（UDL）的培训，以支持不同的学习者。JCC还将为初中和高中教育工作者和职业顾问提供暑期专业发展机会，以加强从公立学校到中学后技术教育的渠道。通过咨询理事会会议，课堂支持和持续沟通的行业反馈将提高学生的参与度和项目成果。JCC的职业教练将促进学习社区为所有学生与自闭症谱系神经多样性的学生的具体重点。Bio Blend 2.0将最终培养出一批来自应用工程和生物技术领域的更多元化、更有才华的学生，他们将凭借实践经验和认证进入劳动力市场，以满足当地行业的需求。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于推动国家经济的先进技术领域的技术人员的教育。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。