Advisory Committee Roles and Responsibilities

Purpose

The Advisory Committee is a primary vehicle for maintaining direct communication between the educational programs and business industry to ensure a high quality, relevant educational program. With the current rapid technological change and advancement in industry, education must be responsive to incorporate the changes into the curriculum so that students will be adequately prepared to enter the workplace.

Membership

The Advisory Committee would generally include:

1. Employers and employees from the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Technology fields
2. Former students now employed in these fields
3 Students now enrolled in the fields
4. Educational program coordinator, department chair, appropriate division administrator, or grant coordinator Function

Advisory Committee members advise program staff in the following areas:

1. Changes and developments in technology, the labor market, and workplace that will have an impact on the college program


2. Improvements to the curriculum and program including
a. Specific skills and technical information requirements which should be included in the courses
b. Adequacy of facilities and equipment
c Recommended guest speakers for classes or student meetings
d. Advise on long-range program planning


3. Recommendations to foster closer cooperation and communication between education and the business community
a. Identify work experience opportunities and job placement possibilities for students and assist in the placement of students into internships or employment
b. Promote field trips to relate classroom instruction to workplace experience
c. Promote the program to industry and the business community

Activities: Suggested activities include:

1. Review of course outlines
a. Are there revisions, additions, or deletions to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for this course?
b. Are the course standards realistic?
c. Is the course prerequisite, if any, realistic?


2. Review of program description in college catalog or new brochures
a. Completeness of program - Are there new courses that need to be added to the program? Are there courses that no longer should be required?
b. Clarity of program - Is the program description easily understood?

3. Compile a mailing list for distribution of new brochure.
4. Recommend a plan for distribution of program information to employers in the community.
5. Report changes in labor market needs.
6. Assist in conducting community surveys.
7. Advise in the development and use of cooperative training plans and agreements.
8. Assist in the placement of graduates

Mission Statement:

"To create educational courses and programs that will produce a pipeline of students educated in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and technology."

GOALS

1. Develop and implement a Marketing plan
a. Capable, qualified, technology students
b. Demographic Equity in Technology Education
c. Administrative, district, parents, and community at large
d. Legislative mandate for technology career courses
e. Professional society involvement with Industry assistance
f. Technology Definition other than computers

2. Create qualified and quantity of Technical Teachers

a. Increase number of teacher training programs through community colleges and 4 year universities
b. ITE trained Teachers
c. IT education for Academic Teachers
d. Work with existing staff development personnel to integrate Engineering, Manufacturing. and Technology curriculum and articulation strategies
e. Externships available for teacher training

3. Create & Enhance Technology Programs/Courses in Public Schools
a. Graduation requirements allowing technical courses
b. Articulate courses between schools and levels of education in a regional matrix
c. Training plans and courses to include project based learning with industry input
d. Shared curriculum based on standards integrated with academic core

4. Develop curriculum for engineering and manufacturing
a. Technology and academic articulation
b. Integrate curriculum standards - math, science, technology
c. Align technology to meet a-g requirements
d. Implement basic tools skills
e. Implement and train with current technology
f. Integrate SCANS skills into Technology curriculum
g. Focus on the areas of

i. Computer Technology (including CNC, CAD, CAM)
ii. Robotics Manufacturing
iii. Semiconductor Manufacturing (Chemical Mfg)
iv. Machine Tool Manufacturing v. Industrial Materials Manufacturing
vi. Principles of Technology
vii. Design
viii. Electronics

5. Build a collaborative and sustainable infrastructure
a. Work with all universities, community colleges and high school districts in the region
b. Develop the organizational structure and responsibilities
c. Double the quantity of consortium industry members
d. Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology Advisory Committee meets biannually e. Facilitate local meetings with industry and all levels of education f. Research effective programs that link academia and industry standards

6. Generate assessment models
a. Develop a multi methodology assessment tool to measure academic and technology student achievement
b. Assessment tools for each tech module based upon National and State standards
c. Develop infrastructure for monitoring effectiveness