ATE Scholars Program is Industry's Answer to Shortage of Technicians

CONTACT: DR. JIM WOOD, EXT. 2176

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/1/99
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON --- The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Scholars program at Tri-County Technical College is a way to locally combat the state's 15,000 vacancies for skilled technical jobs, Tom Persons, CEO of the S.C. Technology Alliance, told tri-county area manufacturers at a meeting designed to introduce them to a program that specifically targets this widespread problem.

"Currently there are 15,000 technical jobs in the state that can't be filled because applicants don't have the technical skills," said Persons. Nationally, there is a 200 – 300 percent shortage of trained technicians, he added. "That's why ATE is so important," he said.

"We're not able to supply industry with the sufficient number of graduates from our high-skills programs," said Dr. Jim Wood, who chairs the College's Industrial and Engineering Technology Division and is principal investigator for ATE. The ATE Scholars initiative is an effort to attract, retain and graduate a greater number of engineering technicians to meet the needs of industry.

Last fall Tri-County and Florence-Darlington Technical College began pilot testing the ATE project, a curriculum that models the workplace and makes the studies more relevant to students. ATE students enroll in four interrelated courses taken simultaneously during the semester.

"It's a new approach to teaching," said Dr. Wood. "The program helps the students to understand the value of using math, science, engineering technology and communication skills through solving real-world problems. It immerses the student in the problem-solving process, a more effective learning strategy by forming students into teams to solve an industry's problems."

"We've found that these faculty-developed courses are the best way to teach and train technicians," said Dr. Wood.

"We are changing the learning environment. Teaching skills, such as teaming and problem-solving, allow us to have active involvement," said Dr. Wood. "Students retain information better and learn faster. It's a hands-on approach that is working."

Results show that 17 of the 19 students enrolled last semester in ATE classes completed the first term. "That's phenomenal," said Dr. Wood.

Dr. Wood also discussed the possibility of industries sponsoring students through scholarships and full- or part-time jobs for students.
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