The National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program gives two year college educators leadership roles in developing model technician education programs for advanced technology fields. Since the first ATE grants were awarded in 1993, community college educators across the nation have partnered with industry and other…

Community colleges are attempting to bridge America's widening blue-collar skills gap through workforce development programs promising living-wage jobs that don't require four years of college. While trade, construction and manufacturing companies are starving for talented workers, these fields also suffer from an image problem, one fueled by…

This brief article describes how Alamance Community College, a mid-sized community college sandwiched between two of North Carolina's largest metropolitan markets in Raleigh-Durham and Greensboro-Winston-Salem, has developed several new study programs and initiatives to better service business and industry. Among other things, Almanac has…

In his State of the Union Address in January, President Obama said he visited "many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can't find workers with the right skills." Not hard to imagine, considering the U.S. Department of Commerce reports that only one in every 18 workers in America currently works in a science, technology,…

In recent years, "math and science" has been the mantra for many educators and business leaders who warn of an urgent need to encourage the pursuit of these and other technological disciplines or risk losing ground in the global economy. Simply emphasizing the need for "math and science" expertise does not, however, encourage…

The country's technological edge is receding, and the problem cannot be solved simply by flooding the workforce with more engineers and scientists. This comes as little surprise to administrators at the nation's community colleges. In 2007, the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Science, and the Institute of Medicine responded to…

For generations the Arkansas Delta has been a region of poverty, low academic achievement, and low workforce skills. Representing nine counties in the region, four community colleges and a university 300 miles away have joined together to form the Arkansas Delta Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Project (ADSTEP).…

This article talks about a joint effort between the National Science Foundation and the nation's community colleges that helps students secure jobs in technical career fields. It describes Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), National Science Foundation's (NSF's) premier initiative with two-year colleges that was created in response to…

As an unsettled economy continues to behave in volatile ways, forecasters are predicting that a new generation of innovative technologies holds the promise of both driving economic recovery and sparking an extended period of economic expansion in America. If such forecasts are on target, there will be many opportunities for businesses and…

Suggests that, although technical skills are important, soft skills still make a critical difference in hiring in high-tech fields. Defines soft skills as the ability to think critically, work in teams, share ideas, and perform other non-technological tasks. Describes a study that found that employers still see a four-year college degree as the…

Reports on Southern Illinois University's (SIU) idea to consolidate its A.A.S. Electronics Technology degree with its two-year capstone B.A. degree in Electronics Management (ELM). Explains that this four-year ELM curriculum is designed to accommodate the transfer of two-year students who have already completed two years of course work. Offers…

Explains how to use technology to enhance learning and teaching in the community college, and how to provide adequate user support for computer systems. Describes the technology plan implemented at Howard Community College. (JDI)

Describes the establishment of the Sedona Center for Arts and Technology, which offers career preparation in multimedia content development and encourages teachers to use new media to enhance learning outcomes. Discusses four key elements that have contributed to the success of the start-up phase: thorough planning, clear pedagogy, strong…

Describes the partnerships formed by West Valley Mission Community College District (California) with its surrounding Silicon Valley business community in an effort to benefit workforce development. Asserts that community colleges are uniquely positioned to provide a lifelong education that will yield a skilled workforce to meet the needs of…

Analyzes the shift in the balance of power between proponents of general education and proponents of workforce development in community colleges. Stresses the importance of the intellectual climate in community colleges, suggesting that both factions recommit themselves to being members of a coalition. (NB)