Advancing Career and Technical Skills: Through the science of material, nondestructive testing and welding education.

Ongoing research has demonstrated that there is a notable shortage of skilled trade and technical workers in the United States, and in specialty areas such as welding. A needs assessment conducted in Southern Colorado by Pueblo Community College (PCC) revealed that 21% of skilled positions in advanced manufacturing are unfilled due to a regional skills gap. This project at PCC addresses the demand for skilled professionals, focusing on welding education, materials testing, and pertinent industry focused certifications. Over the three-year project period PCC aims to align curriculum with industry standards, creating competency-based pathways in both welding and welding inspection through aligned American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) qualifications. Faculty associated with the project will benefit from professional development opportunities focusing on welding and nondestructive Testing (NDT) education. This training will enable faculty and staff to prepare students for industry recognized credentials. The project targets a 5% increase in enrollment and student employment in industry-related careers. The initiative meets regional industry needs, and contributes to workforce diversity, broadening participation amongst underserved populations. This project aligns with PCC's mission to advance technical education while preparing students for high-demand careers in welding and nondestructive testing. The overall goal of the project is to prepare students with the necessary industry skills and credentialing to succeed in careers with a documented skills gap such as welding and welding inspection. This will be accomplished with the help of an advisory board of regional employers with demonstrated expertise in welding technology with an emphasis on NDT. The advisory committee will work with program faculty to ensure that relevant skills are being taught in the classroom, and that college credentials are appropriately valued by regional industry. Students will be taking courses in NDT with input from the ASNT curriculum, which will prepare them to enter the welding industry in quality control, quality assurance and inspection. It is estimated that more than 300 students a year will have the potential to be certified with relevant industry credentials through the PCC course offerings, benefitting the regional economy. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.