1 Sustaining Technical Programs The NSF’s Advanced Technological Education Program and American Competitiveness Mike Lesiecki, MATEC A Member of the Academic Affairs Division of the Maricopa Community Colleges

2 Answers $49.9 M 17 th 76% Approximately 100,000,000 Yes

3 The Gap According to USA Today (October 10, 2007), workers with college degrees today earn __% more on average than those with high school degrees 76% –In 1970 it was 36%

4 By 2012 a predicted labor market surplus of 3M workers with high school only compared to 7M worker shortage for jobs that require some college training

5 The NSF’s Advanced Technological Education Program

6 ATE Addresses technical workforce and technician education challenges Began in 1992 with the first competitive proposals awarded in 1994 Innovative educators at two –year community colleges

7 ATE Program Centers: broad mission as change agents in their fields, currently 35 national and regional centers including resource centers – Projects: focus on specific ways to enhance technician education, faculty professional development, student learning and career knowledge, career pathways to two year colleges from secondary schools

8 Out of 38 countries where does the US rank in 8 th grade TIMSS mathematics? 17th

9 ATE Main Points What we call "Career and Technical Education" is changing in the knowledge economy so that greater STEM foundation is needed for any high paying job or career

10 ATE was designed to develop "technicians" for emerging technology--with an emphasis upon STEM foundations In reality ATE projects and programs have become enormously important to employers who want to hire four year college graduates with technical backgrounds--especially in information technology, biotechnology and chemical processing industries

11 ATE programs started with dealing with technologies, but now are beginning to focus upon industry sectors to meet their technology needs: example Chemical Industries (College of Mainland); AMTEC--auto industry (Kentucky). To these industries degrees and certificates matter

12 ATE is probably one of the largest developer of new community college curriculum and the largest practioner of curriculum integration (between liberal arts skills and technical skills) inside the community colleges

13 The long term impact on workforce education at the community college will be significant---program only 10 years old.... Few federal programs that involve faculty directly.

14 30% of ATE students are from underrepresented minority groups 31% of ATE students are women 19% of ATE students are incumbent technicians In fiscal year 2007, 247 active grants will receive $___M in funding $49.9M

15 How many web servers are there today in the world? A.More than 100,000 B.More than 1,000,000 C.More than 10,000,000 D.More than 100,000,000

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17 MATEC MATEC is beginning its 12 th year –Member of a national network of 35 ATE centers –A member of the Academic Affairs Division of the Maricopa Community Colleges MATEC Networks Resource Center is beginning the 3 rd year A new Image

18 America COMPETES America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (America COMPETES Act)

19 NSF Authorizations and Appropriations AppropsAmerica COMPETES Authrztn FY2007 House Approps Senate AppropsFY 2008FY 2009FY 2010 NSF$5,917.0$6,509.0$6,553.0$6,600.0$7,326.0$8,132.0 Ed & HR$796.7$822.6$850.6$896.0$995.0$1,104.0 ATE$46.5$ $52.0$57.7$64.0 NSF10.0%10.7%11.5%11.0% Ed & HR3.3%6.8%12.5%11.0% ATE11.0% %11.0%10.9%

20 House Report Increasing the number of highly qualified K-12 math and science teachers is critical to the creation of a new generation of innovators. Recommendations included in the National Academies' `Rising Above the Gathering Storm' report discussed the importance of expanding programs to enhance the undergraduate education of the future science and engineering workforce. The Committee supports the FY08 request of $51,600,000 for the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. This program is a valuable tool for promoting education in community colleges and contributing to the pool of technology specialists available to the public and private sectors. House Report – COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2008

21 Senate Report “ The Committee strongly encourages NSF to continue support for undergraduate science and engineering education. At a time when enrollment in STEM fields of study continues to decline, it is important that NSF use its position to support students working towards degrees in these areas.. “Given the demands of our knowledge-based economy, the United States needs to increase the number and diversity of our scientific and technical workforce and facilitate an understanding of basic scientific principles among non-scientists. For this reason, the Committee has focused on a set of NSF programs that relate to education and training at all levels of math and science education.” Senate Report – DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE AND JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2008

22 Can I Get Involved? Yes There must be a linkage to a two year college There are opportunities for small “starter” grants for institutions new to the ATE program Google NSF

23 Timeframe Planning, begin now Preliminary proposal, April, 2008 Full proposal, October 2008 Funding decisions, spring 2009 Money, July 1, 2009

24 What is the ratio of an Igloo’s circumference to its diameter? Eskimo Pi

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