NSF Division of Undergraduate Education

DUE Project Information Resource System (PIRS)

Official NSF abstract on file:

In the Appalachian region of southwest Virginia, geographic barriers often prohibit travel to educational centers, thus limiting the region's ability to assist in meeting the growing need for information technology workers. Further complicating the ability to train qualified IT workers has been the traditional difficulty of transferring AAS credits from a community college to institutions granting baccalaureate degrees. This project joins 11 community colleges from the Appalachian region of southwest Virginia with Radford University to form a Regional Technology Education Consortium (RTEC). RTEC is designed to (1) provide a clear path for AAS students to attain a Baccalaureate degree in computer science or information systems; (2) develop curriculum to meet the technology competency requirements of the information technology industry; (3) insure that articulated programs meet industry certification standards and recommended guidelines from professional associations and ; and (4) institutionalize procedures and organizational structures to guarantee continued congruence between the community college and 4-year university curricula in information technology. To further enhance success, RTEC is expanding business and industry partnerships to improve the congruence between needs of employers and the institutions preparing future IT workers. Radford University's Business and Industry Council has a committee assigned to advise the College of Information Science and Technology. Business and Industry Council members, including representatives from SunTrust Bank, First Union National Bank, EDS Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), First Virtual Corporation, Polycom Network Systems, Verizon Communications, and SAP provide significant input from an employer's perspective. The dynamic partnership of RTEC combined with the collaborative efforts of the information technology industry is energizing and broadening the technology-based learning experiences available to AAS graduates in the Appalachian communities throughout southwestern Virginia. The demand for the next generation of information technology professionals is being met by incorporating industry needs with academic preparation.