ATETV presents: Technician Navigator

美国国家科学委员会在其2019年关于熟练技术劳动力的报告中指出，熟练技术工人占美国25岁及以上劳动力的13%。此外，这些工人通过锻炼“批判性思维、设计、数字、数学和编码技能，为经济和科学工程企业的各个方面做出贡献”，成为汽车修理工、卫生保健技术人员、电工、焊工、计算机系统分析师和管理员，以及“智能”基础设施的操作员。该项目将使人们认识到通往熟练技术劳动力的工作和职业机会的教育途径，加强ATE学生之间的联系，更广泛地说，是两年制学生、教育工作者和行业利益相关者之间的联系。一支具有STEM能力和竞争力的劳动力队伍会带来创新、工业成功、研发新发现和STEM成果的进步。这最终会产生一个经济更加繁荣的国家，恢复全球竞争力，以及更大的经济安全和繁荣，所有这些都是ATE计划的目标。“技术员导航员”将为未来的技术人员制作一个ATETV知识库，其中包含当前执业技术人员制作的真实原创内容，包括博客、视频、音频材料和论坛。这些材料将告知并吸引学生、家庭和教育工作者。通过由教师和行业代表开发的虚拟活动和一对一的会议，技术人员将指导未来的学生完成大学的决策过程，并通过注册为他们提供支持。这个项目的核心是创建上下文体验，以增加熟练技术劳动力的质量、数量和多样性。情境体验与未来的学生在他们所在的地方相遇，而不是试图吸引他们的注意力，然后使用一系列相互关联的体验，逐步引导他们在社区和技术学院注册技师教育项目。这将是一个史无前例的体验资源，旨在吸引和招募学生进入技术教育项目，并引导他们完成注册技术教育项目的过程。预计技术员导航员将作为一个经过测试的学生招聘模式为理工学院社区服务，并将数字工具和资源用于其他理工学院社区外展工作。内容和情境体验将建立一个社区，将人们和项目联系起来，并通过真实的材料和体验产生兴奋和兴趣。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。

In its 2019 report on the skilled technical workforce, the National Science Board noted that skilled technical workers represent 13% of the U.S. workforce aged 25 and older. Furthermore, these workers “contribute to all parts of the economy and the Science & Engineering enterprise” by exercising “critical thinking, design, digital, math, and coding skills to work as auto mechanics, health care technicians, electricians, welders, computer systems analysts and administrators, and operators of ‘smart’ infrastructure.” This project will bring awareness to the educational pathways leading to work and career opportunities in the skilled technical workforce, bolstering connectedness among ATE students - and more generally all students in the two-year sector, educators, and industry stakeholders. A STEM-capable and competitive workforce leads to innovation, success in industry, new discoveries in research and development, and advancements in STEM achievements. This ultimately yields a more economically prosperous nation, renewed global competitiveness, and greater economic security and prosperity, all of which are goals of the ATE program.Technician Navigator will produce an ATETV repository of authentic original content produced by current practicing technicians for future technicians that will include blogs, videos, audio materials, and forums. These materials will inform and engage students, families, and educators. Through virtual events and one-on-one sessions developed by faculty and industry representatives, technicians will guide prospective students through the college decision-making process, supporting them through enrollment. Creating contextual experiences to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of a skilled technical workforce is at the heart of this project. Contextual experiences meet prospective students where they are instead of trying to attract their attention, and then use a series of connected experiences that incrementally guide them along their journey to enrolling in technician education programs at community and technical colleges. This will be a first-of-its-kind experiential resource designed to attract and recruit students into technician education programs and walk them through the process of enrolling in technician education programs. It is expected that Technician Navigator will serve the ATE community as a tested model for student recruitment with digital tools and resources for use in other ATE community outreach efforts. Content and contextual experiences will establish a community, connect people and programs, and generate excitement and interest through authentic materials and experiences. 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.