Enhancing the IT pipeline

As the world becomes increasingly digital there is a critical and growing need for IT professionals. IT skill shortages and training requirements are the key factors slowing down the digital transformation. The primary purpose of this proposal from Olympic College (OC) is to increase graduation rates in Computer Information Systems (CIS) to meet current and projected industry demand in the Bremerton Washington region. The goals of the project are twofold: (1) improving the pipeline from high school to college in CIS careers, and (2) providing work experience to students during their college education to increase their chances of finding post-graduation employment. The project will expand access to CIS education through new dual credit partnerships with local high schools, updated curriculum, and targeted outreach to increase enrollment in associate degree programs. Key elements of this project include: (1) integrating experiential learning opportunities into OC's CIS associate degree programs. The plan is to create a multi-quarter "Work Experience" course where students will engage in real-world projects on campus, addressing internal information system needs at OC; and (2) improving the recruitment pipeline by expanding dual-credit CIS courses in local high schools and improving outreach. Over the course of this project these initiatives will be developed, implemented, and integrated into OC’s curriculum. The project team will partner with external organizations adapting successful bachelor's-level programs to the associate degree level to ensure that workforce needs in the region are met. 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.