Edgecombe Community College Foundation Inc

GUIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY: TRIO/STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

PITT COMMUNITY COLLEGE RURAL POSTSECONDARY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PCC RPED)

PREDOMINANTLY BLACK INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM - FORMULA GRANTS

THE GOAL OF CARTERET COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE WITH EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE FIELD OF AQUACULTURE AND IMPROVE THE PREPAREDNESS OF CARTERET COMMUNITY COLLEGE AQUACULTURE PROGRAM GRADUATES. THIS PROJECT IS NECESSARY, BECAUSE AQUACULTURE IS THE FASTEST GROWING SECTOR OF FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE WORLD. WITH INDUSTRY GROWTH COMES AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR A SKILLED WORKFORCE. THIS PROJECT WILL TEACH EDUCATORS ABOUT THE AQUACULTURE FIELD, PROVIDE ACCESS TO BEGINNING-LEVEL AQUACULTURE COURSES TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, PROVIDE VALUABLE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE TO STUDENTS, AND IMPROVE THE CARTERET COMMUNITY COLLEGE CURRICULUM.MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT AQUACULTURE IS, WHAT IS INVOLVED IN AQUACULTURE EDUCATION, AND THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE FIELD. THE COLLEGE WILL OFFER A HANDS-ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL TARGET HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS. THE COLLEGE WILL WORK WITH THE CARTERET COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO IDENTIFY KEY STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN AUTHENTIC DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM AND THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IT CAN PROVIDE.THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE COLLEGE TO HIRE AN INSTRUCTOR TO TEACH BEGINNING LEVEL AQUACULTURE COURSES ON THE CAMPUSES OF TWO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS, EAST CARTERET HIGH SCHOOL AND CROATAN HIGH SCHOOL. BY TEACHING ON THE CAMPUS OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THE COLLEGE WILL REMOVE ALL BARRIERS FOR THE STUDENTS SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. IT WILL OFFER STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS TUITION-FREE AND WILL ALLOW THEM TO ENTER THE AQUACULTURE WORKFORCE AT A YOUNGER AGE .IN ADDITION, THIS GRANT WILL OFFER PAID APPRENTICESHIPS FOR CARTERET COMMUNITY COLLEGE AQUACULTURE AT LOCAL BUSINESSES. NOT ONLY WILL THE STUDENTS GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIRENCE, BUT THE APPRENTICESHIPS WILL OFFER LOCAL BUSINESSES ADDITIONAL HELP AT NO CHARGE. LASTLY, THE PROJECT WILL ADD ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR AUTOMATION AND MONITORING TO THE CARTERET COMMUNITY COLLEGE AQUACULTURE TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM.

PREPARING MANUFACTURING TECHNICIANS FOR THE CHALLENGES OF INDUSTRY 4.0 -DUE TO THE FAST PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, EMPLOYERS HAVE IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR MORE HIGHLY-TRAINED MANUFACTURING TECHNICIANS. DESIRED SKILLS FOR MANUFACTURING TECHNICIANS NOW INCLUDE DATA ACQUISITION, COMPUTER INTEGRATION, MACHINE MAINTENANCE, AND TROUBLESHOOTING. THIS PROJECT FROM EDGECOMBE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (ECC) WILL ALIGN THE EXISTING MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY DEGREE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMA WITH THE CURRENT AND EMERGING INDUSTRY 4.0 NEEDS OF LOCAL MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY AND AN ADJACENT JURISDICTION, NASH COUNTY. OVER THIS THREE-YEAR PROJECT, ECC PLANS TO RECRUIT AND ENROLL UP TO TWENTY STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ON TRACK TO COMPLETE THESE PROGRAMS, AND OBTAIN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS ALONG THE WAY. ECC FACULTY WILL PARTICIPATE IN CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURING SKILL STANDARDS COUNCIL (MSSC) TO BETTER PREPARE THEM TO ENHANCE THE CURRICULUM AT ECC. THROUGH CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES, ECC WILL ENGAGE WITH INCUMBENT MANUFACTURING TECHNICIANS WHO ARE IN NEED OF RE-SKILLING. TO ADDRESS THE UNDER- AND UNEMPLOYMENT OF POPULATIONS IN EDGECOMBE AND NASH COUNTIES WHO ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THEIR PURSUIT OF CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING, THE COLLEGE WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE TAR RIVER AREA BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TO ACTIVELY RECRUIT TEENS WITH AN APTITUDE TOWARDS TECHNICAL AND SCIENCE TOPICS, SPECIFICALLY BLACK MALE TEENS, AND ON-SITE MENTORING WITH PEER STUDENT MENTORS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS IN EDGECOMBE AND NASH COUNTIES WITH RESPECT TO EMERGING WORKFORCE SKILLS IN MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING. ECC INTENDS TO GROW THE SKILLED TECHNICAL WORKFORCE WITH RECRUITMENT EFFORTS THAT WILL INCLUDE UNDER-EMPLOYED INCUMBENT MANUFACTURING WORKERS AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. THESE STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM A FOCUSED STEM CURRICULUM TAILORED TOWARDS THE DATA-INTENSIVE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY 4.0 WHICH RELIES INCREASINGLY ON SMART SENSORS, CLOUD COMPUTING, DATA ACQUISITION, AND CLOUD ANALYTICS. ECC INTENDS TO ENROLL FORTY TO SIXTY INDIVIDUALS OVER THREE YEARS AND ENGAGE ECC FACULTY TO COMPLETE THE TRAINING NECESSARY TO DELIVER THIS CURRICULUM. EACH COHORT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND INCUMBENT WORKERS WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE FIVE COURSES IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY DEGREE. STUDENTS MAY GAIN ADDITIONAL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AS THEY PARTICIPATE IN AVAILABLE INTERNSHIPS. INITIAL COURSE COMPLETERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE OR CONTINUE TO COMPLETE THE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAM. THROUGH AN ACTIVELY ENGAGED ADVISORY BOARD, ECC FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION WILL PURSUE ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ULTIMATELY IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR ECC STUDENTS. 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.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.