Award Abstract # 1400452
Building an Academic Pathway for Industrial Engineering Operations Technicians

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Initial Amendment Date: August 18, 2014
Latest Amendment Date: December 15, 2016
Award Number: 1400452
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Heather Watson
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EHR
 Direct For Education and Human Resources
Start Date: September 1, 2014
End Date: August 31, 2018 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $721,836.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $721,836.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2014 = $721,836.00
History of Investigator:
  • Lee Blyth (Principal Investigator)
    lblyth@cscc.edu
  • Peter Carswell (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Jeremy Banta (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • John Schultz (Former Principal Investigator)
  • Jeffery Woodson (Former Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Columbus State Community College
550 E SPRING ST
COLUMBUS
OH  US  43215-1722
(614)287-2639
Sponsor Congressional District: 03
Primary Place of Performance: Columbus State Community College
550 East Spring Street
Columbus
OH  US  43215-1722
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): H7GFSFHXELW4
Parent UEI: H7GFSFHXELW4
NSF Program(s): Advanced Tech Education Prog
Primary Program Source: 04001415DB NSF Education & Human Resource
Program Reference Code(s): 1032, 9178, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 7412
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio, in collaboration with Eastland-Fairfield Career Center and its 16 associated school districts, Franklin University, and key regional industry partners, is developing a new multi-disciplinary academic pathway in Industrial Engineering Technology with a focus in the logistics sector. This project is designing and developing an associate degree curriculum that incorporates engineering, information technology and logistics operations principles delivered through a blended delivery model that integrates a learning objects methodology. Instructional and student support systems are being developed to help establish the optimal environment for student success. The overall project goal is to create a career pathway for industrial engineering technicians with the STEM and subject matter knowledge to support the increasingly complex technology needs of the supply chain sector while providing program graduates opportunities in a variety of industries. The project incorporates a component to inform high school students of the opportunities available in industrial engineering technology including a certificate option. The logistics sector offers career ladders to family-supporting occupations that employ 9% of the regions workforce in central Ohio. Labor data projects that this industry in the central Ohio region is experiencing growth that is expected to increase at 11.8% over the next seven years with over 200 annual openings. This proposal provides students with an associate-degree level career pathway in this critical sector, one for which national research data and local employer input evidence significant need. The high school outreach program enables this curriculum to be available at institutions that have historically been unable to afford the faculty and equipment expenses associated with such a program. Finally, the project focuses on advancing recruitment to underserved populations including minorities, women, and veterans in the region thereby increasing the talent pool for industry and providing these populations opportunities in a high demand, high growth sector. The plans to disseminate the results of this effort will help other institutions in other areas of the country to adopt the program.

The initiatives in this proposal result in a seamless educational pathway for supply chain Industrial Engineering Operations Technicians. The program creates a certificate program accessible to high school students and an Associate of Applied Science degree that incorporate a multi-disciplinary academic foundation in computer science, industrial engineering, and supply chain principles and methodologies. This degree prepares program graduates for meaningful positions in a variety of industries and with several employment-ready exit points. The project deliverables provide a blueprint for other high school and 2 year programs throughout the country. This initiative is designing 2+2+2 articulation pathways, creating a pipeline of technical education from the high school to community college to four-year institutions.

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

Through the Advanced Technological Education program, Columbus State Community College developed and implemented a new, 2-year STEM-focused associate degree. The multidisciplinary Logistics Engineering Technology AAS degree addresses a growing skills gap within the supply chain operations industry by combining coursework from engineering technologies, information technology, and supply chain operations. The project focused on building a new educational and career pathway that links Columbus State with area high schools and four-year universities.

Key outputs of the project include the:

  • Completion of an industry-verified job-skills analysis for the Logistics Engineering Technician role.
  • Creation of a new, multidisciplinary Logistics Engineering Technology AAS degree – the first degree of its kind to combine coursework from engineering technologies, information technology, and supply chain operations.
  • Enrollment of 34 students actively pursuing the Logistics Engineering Technology, AAS degree in its first year.
  • Development of two new engineering technology courses: ENGT 1200 Intro to Industrial Systems and Engineering and ENGT 1300 Intro to Electric Motors, Controls, PLC’s.
  • Implementation of a pre-college initiative that includes dual enrollment courses and summer institutes for high school students and educators.
  • Creation of model articulation agreements that support transfer to four-year universities with Franklin University and Ohio University.

A key outcome or impact of the Logistics Engineering Technology project has been the verification of the overlap that exists between supply chain operations and engineering technologies and the importance of cross training technicians to support operations in both distribution and manufacturing settings. Moreover, evaluation data from multi-day workshops and other outreach events designed for educators, students, and parents provide clear evidence that these efforts have been effective in increasing awareness among regional educators, students, and parents regarding industry demand for people with Logistics Engineering Technology skills and in sparking an increased interest among participating students in considering Logistics Engineering Technology as a potential career.  

Additionally, the multidisciplinary approach taken on this project can serve as a model for the development of new programs that seek to address the skills gap created by industries’ continued growth and reliance upon new technologies. Similarly, the model used in this project that creates alignment between high school, community college, and university programs shows the importance of building strong academic and career pathways that integrate a region’s academic partners and prepares students for multiple entry- and exit-points to education and career.

Columbus State plans to build upon the initial successes of this project through Logistics Engineering Technology Work Study (DUE: 1700520) Collaboration of Midwest Professionals for Logistics Engineering Technology Education (DUE: 1800188). More information about this project and Columbus State’s continued work with the Advanced Technological Education program can be found at. https://www.cscc.edu/awardprojects

 


Last Modified: 09/20/2018
Modified by: Lee Blyth

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