Increasing the Number of Workforce-ready Engineering Technicians in Southeastern Pennsylvania

This project aims to contribute to the national need for a skilled STEM workforce by increasing the number of well-trained engineering technicians. To recruit more students into the Engineering Technology program, the project will develop articulation agreements with the College's Center for Workforce Development. Through this articulation, credits toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Engineering Technology will be granted for specific certifications obtained through the Center for Workforce Development. In addition, the project will award certifications, digital badges, or college credits for other prior learning, including knowledge and skills gained from military training. The project intends to strengthen the Engineering Technology curriculum by including a new course on manufacturing technology, requiring business courses that emphasize entrepreneurship, and developing practical experiences such as job-shadowing and internships. The project will also support a collaboration between Bucks County Community College and Drexel University to strengthen the education of both engineering technicians and engineering technologists. It is expected that the improved Engineering Technology curriculum and the innovative connection between certifications and an associate degree will increase the number of engineering technicians who can meet the needs of local and regional employers.

The project aims to develop robust collaborations between four Bucks County Community College programs or departments: The Engineering Technology program, the Business Studies Department, the Center for Workforce Development (which awards several engineering-relevant certifications), and the Industry Advisory Board (which advises the College on issues related to industry needs and trends). Through this collaboration, the project aims to modernize the Engineering Technology curriculum to increase the emphasis on soft skills training and career exploration, and to develop associated certifications and/or other credentials. As part of this modernization, a credit-bearing manufacturing course with an updated laboratory component will be developed. The project plans to offer opportunities that help students explore engineering technician career options, including a formalized job shadowing program. It is expected that the project will contribute to the national need for a highly-trained STEM workforce by increasing the number of students who pursue engineering technician careers, and by better preparing these technicians to be successful on the job. It also has the potential to create a model for how to successfully link certification programs to credit-bearing programs. Such a model might be implemented by other colleges and universities.