Development of a 21st Century Industrial Process Operations Program

To assure that manufacturing, mining, biochemical, pulp and paper, power generation, oil and gas, water treatment, and food and beverage industries in Northern Minnesota remain globally competitive, it is vital that industrial technicians and process operators be prepared with the skills and knowledge required to help these industries thrive. This project at Itasca Community College in Minnesota is timely as the current workforce in the region is aging, and it has become recognized by regional industries that a workforce pipeline is needed to maintain current operations and facilitate future growth. It is designed to develop an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program in Process Operations that will capitalize on the need these industries have for highly-qualified and motivated employees. The program is a shift from the current industry specific technical programs of the region to a program that is focused on developing graduates who are prepared to be 21st century workers for these industries. This will increase the regional economic vitality and help the college remain a model of progressive instruction. Partners include industries such as Minnesota Power, Lonza, Blandin Paper Company, Marvin Windows and Doors, and American Sugar as well as the high schools in the vicinity of the college. The overall curriculum will be industry driven through its development and will remain responsive to the industrial fluctuations in the region by maintaining and utilizing strong industry ties. The college will become a member of the North American Process Technology Alliance (NAPTA) that can provide curriculum and access to model programs as well as an avenue for project dissemination.

This Associate in Applied Science (AAS) program in process operations will encompass a broad scope of industrial plant operations to educate and motivate future industrial technicians by utilizing a structured learning community to deliver a condensed one-and-a-half year curriculum. To maximize the chance for success, students will be required to have prerequisite courses in industrial safety, welding, machining, fabrication, computing, and mathematics. To provide students multiple pathways, students may enter the program from one of four pathways (a summer boot camp, high school credits developed for this project, industrial work experience, or relevant college courses and experiences.) It will develop ties to local school districts through "College-In-The-Schools" curriculum development and take advantage of industry partners through site visits, capstone projects, and adjunct industry-based instructors. The areas of student development and assessment will be technical knowledge (what students know), professionalism (who students are), and process awareness (what students can do). The nationally recognized pre-engineering program at the college will serve as a model for this new AAS Process Operations program. Model tenents will be utilization of Project Based Learning (PBL), industry tours, industry professionals serving as instructors or guest speakers, student learning communities, and student ownership of and pride in the program. The two established and growing Industrial Technologies programs in Power Generation and Pulp and Paper at the college have laid the groundwork for this more broadly applicable AAS Process Operations program in terms of infrastructure, curriculum, and industry ties. A comprehensive evaluation process will be used to assess and improve this AAS in Process Operations program during its formation and execution.