Engaging Students From Classrooms and Camps to College and Advanced Technological Careers

康涅狄格州西北部托灵顿地区的40家制造商包括较小的本地公司，以及威特曼巴顿菲尔德和Altek电子等国家和全球公司。此外，该地区领先的生物科学公司杰克逊实验室（Jackson Laboratory）就在20英里之外。这些公司需要各种技能和知识水平的员工，从技术人员到工程师和研究科学家。他们依靠教育基础设施来提供有能力的、为行业做好准备的劳动力。然而，在行业需求和技术工人的可用性之间存在差距，技术高中和大学目前都不能满足这些需求。例如，在机器人和自动化领域，工业需求超过了训练有素的劳动力近68%。根据2016年康涅狄格州西北部商会调查，维持和发展制造业是该地区的首要任务之一，缺乏熟练的申请人被认为是最大的障碍。这个名为“让学生从课堂和营地进入大学和职业”的项目，将7 -12年级的教师、社区大学教师、学生和行业成员聚集在一起，培养一支强大的技术队伍。该项目旨在提高托灵顿学区代表性不足和社会经济弱势学生的STEM兴趣和技能。它将吸引44名初中和高中STEM教师及其学生，通过创新活动将学生引入技术人员的职业生涯。教师将参加基于行业的实习和专业发展研讨会。这些活动旨在帮助教师更好地理解技术人员的角色。学生们将参加大学参观和夏令营，旨在帮助他们了解技术人员的就业机会。社区大学的学生将通过参加工业实习来学习技术人员的职业，并通过在营地和教室担任助教以及作为初高中学生的导师来完善他们的知识和技能。社区大学计划通过该计划，增加高中学生的双入学大学课程数量。该计划将通过形成包括教师、大学教职员工和行业成员在内的STEM实践社区，为教师建立一个支持系统。预计这些项目活动将为学生在该地区的先进技术行业就业提供支持。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。

The forty manufacturers in the Torrington area of Northwestern Connecticut include smaller, local companies, as well as national and global companies such as Wittmann Battenfeld and Altek Electronics. In addition, Jackson Laboratory, the leading bioscience company in the area, is located twenty miles away. These companies need employees at all levels of skills and knowledge, from technicians to engineers and research scientists. They rely on an educational infrastructure to provide a capable, industry-ready workforce. However, there is a gap between the industry demand and availability of skilled workers, and neither the technical high school nor the college is currently meeting these needs. For example, in the robotics and automation areas, industry need exceeds the trained workforce by almost 68%. According to the 2016 Chamber of Commerce Survey of Northwest Connecticut, maintaining and growing manufacturing was one of the highest priorities in the region and the lack of skilled applicants was cited as being the biggest barrier. This project, Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Careers, brings 7th-12th grade teachers, community college faculty, students, and industry members together to develop a strong technical workforce. This project aims to increase the STEM interest and skills attainment of underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged students in the Torrington School District. It will engage forty-four middle and high school STEM teachers and their students, using innovative activities to introduce students to careers as technicians. Teachers will participate in industry-based externships and professional development workshops. These activities are designed to help teachers better understand the roles of technicians. Students will participate in college visits and summer camps, designed to help them understand career opportunities for technicians. Community college students will learn about careers as technicians by participating in externships in industry, and will refine their knowledge and skills by serving as teaching assistants in camps and classrooms, and as mentors for the middle and high school students. Through this program, the community college plans to increase the number of dual enrollment college courses for high school students. The program will establish a support system for teachers through the formation of a STEM Community of Practice that includes teachers, college faculty, and industry members. The project activities are expected to support pathways for students to careers in the advanced technological industries in the region.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.