Perkins End of Year Evaluation

Perkins funding made a difference at our college by: Providing funds for a professional development summer workshop for high school STEM teachers Providing resources for advising for the college’s health programs Providing start-up dollars for equipment in a new program for college beginning fall 2016 ( Mechatronics) Providing updated 3-D printers for the Mechanical Drafting program which is undergoing some internal curriculum revisions Establishing a CTE Recruiter/Success Coach position for students at ACC

Our college’s best practice using Perkins funds is: Expanding the college’s capability in advising for CTE students. Providing industry standard equipment in our Mechatronics program for students to get hands on education with complex automation systems Providing industry recognized professional development for CTE instructors

Our College Perkins Team: NameTitle Phone Wallace M. ShearinDean, Industrial Technologies Catherine JohnsonVice President, Karen HughesCTE

1. We strengthened the academic, career and technical skills of our students by: Establishing a new position, Career Recruiter/Success Coach, in our Student Success department Providing state of the art equipment for the students’ training Proving a summer workshop for math teachers to explore the use of applied mathematics in technical areas including mechatronics, nursing, medical assisting and industrial systems technology

2. We linked career and technical education at the secondary level with career and technical education at the postsecondary level: In our Computer Integrated Machining program we provide secondary level students the opportunity to complete a CIM Certificate containing 12 college credits while in high school (CCP program).This program is supported through our business partnership with GKN including on site visits for our students. Six (6) will graduate with a certificate in Machining this May. The Mechanical Drafting department head has made numerous visits to our high schools to promote drafting and recruit students. Ideas on how to articulate credit are being discussed with the CTE Director for the Alamance-Burlington Schools. High School students have the opportunity to complete college credits through our Advertising and Graphics program taught on two high school campuses. This semester more than 200 students will receive CTE credits through our CCP program ACC will teach NET 125 at ABSS’s CTEC facility creating new pathways in that curriculum. Next fall/spring, plans are underway to add 3 courses that will complete a CCP pathway in Information Technology.

3. We provided students with strong experience in, and understanding of all aspects of an industry by: Establishing a new program at the request of industry, Mechatronics. Providing state of the art instruction in Computer-Integrated Machining. Taking our CTE students on tours of manufacturing companies in our county, such as GKN, Sandvik and ARCA Bringing in industry representatives to talk to our students about their expectations. Students were given details about benefits, salary ranges, company expectations, drug testing requirements. Having our students participate in national competitions (PLANET)which showcases our program on a national level. Outcomes of this competition include paid internships for students as well as scholarships Industrial Systems Technology students toured a local printing industry, Meredith-Webb, and observed a state-of-the-art printing practice The students observed a practical application of the PLC devices used in their classroom instruction.

4. We developed, improved, or expanded the use of technology in career and technical education by: ACC developed a curriculum for Mechatronics. This is a new program, requested by our local industries, that will begin fall Perkins money is used to help develop the curriculum and provide equipment for starting the program. Training in the use of the new equipment is being provided for both full time and adjunct faculty with Perkins funds. Twelve online or hybrid courses in CTE programs were developed this year including new courses in HOR, EDU, OST, MED and NAS.

5. We provided professional development by: Full time and adjunct instructors in the Industrial Systems Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology programs will be sent in June for PLC training in Indiana on Amatrol equipment. The training is related to Siemens and Allen-Bradley PLC’s The ACC Perkins coordinator attended conferences dealing with Career Pathways in the following venues: Raleigh Conference in July NCNP Conference in Dallas, Texas in October Various Webinars presented by the System Office The new Perkins-funded CTE Recruiter/Career Coach will attend the Career Development Facilitator (CDF) training offered through the NCWorks Training Center this June. Summer Bridge Program for high school math instructors who will experience the use of math concepts that are required in several CTE programs.

6. We developed and implemented evaluations of our career and technical education programs by: Implementing a new program review document this year that is used for all programs including the CTE programs. Included are the following questions: E. Student Success (College Goal 1: student success) Evaluation questions: E1. Do students appear to be progressing through the program well? (Based on the number of students who complete at 75% of their attempted credits with a C, P, or better.) E2. Are various sub-populations meeting the performance targets at the same rate? E3. Are students passing gatekeeper courses at the appropriate rates? (Target is 75% of students pass with a C or better) Are course success rates the same for various sub-group populations? F. Employment/Workforce development (College Goal 2: workforce & economic development) Evaluation questions: F1. Are students obtaining employment in their program of study at satisfactory rates? F2. How does the curriculum prepare students for the workplace? F3. Is the number of graduates aligned with the market need? F4. Do the job projections and wages data suggest that this program will be viable over the next five years?

7. We Initiated, improved, expanded, and modernized quality career and technical education programs, including relevant technology by: Adding Mechatronics as an Associate Degree program at ACC Purchasing state-of-the-art robotics equipment to be used in the Industrial Systems Technology and Mechatronics program Updating the curriculum in the Mechanical Drafting Technology program and purchasing newer 3-D printers and more current software being used in the field today Funding a full-time Admissions Counselor and recruiter for CTE programs who is working closely with department heads to recruit students and expand programs

8. We provided services and activities that are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective as evidenced by: The college is currently buying new updated equipment to expand and serve student demand for programs such as automotive and welding in anticipation of the opening of the new AATC building fall Many of these programs continue to have students waitlisted but we are limited because of space issues at the moment. Competencies and learning objectives are reviewed with Advisory Committees each year and revision to the curriculum made accordingly. We have made revisions adding WBL options to Computer Integrated Machining and Mechatronics this year. Many other CTE programs already require WBL or include it as an elective. Programs such as Industrial Systems, Machining and Drafting include courses in related programs in order to provide students a well-rounded background with various job skills.

9. We provided activities to prepare special populations students who are enrolled in CTE courses by: Special Populations students are enrolled in the Career College at ACC. These students participate in collaborative work projects with our curriculum students in HOR, AUT and NAS. Volunteer students in these three curricula also serve as mentors for Career College Students. At the end of the program, students in Career College receive certificates through Workforce Development and most either find employment or transition into curriculum certificate programs. A new “Girls in Technology” program is being implemented in June by the Department Head of Information Technology. It uses a CCP pathway in computer science to introduce high school girls to opportunities in the STEM areas.

Closing Thoughts While we have purchased new equipment to enhance and update programs this year, our emphasis has been on recruitment and student success. This is evidenced by the allocation of funds to four full-time or part-time positions allocated to Guidance and Counseling. We did not use all of our moneys in this area due to the delay in hiring the full time recruiter. However, the intent is to continue emphasizing student success in CTE programs We have allocated a significant amount of money from the grant for training of instructors on new equipment so they can offer quality instruction as we upgrade our programs.