• Florence-Darlingtion Technical College

Florence, SC

SC ATE expands excellence in technician education by

• Increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of industrial and engineering technicians.
• Improving college recruitment, retention, and graduation rates while reducing high school dropout rates.
• Growing industry partnerships.
• Promoting participation in faculty development.
• Providing mentoring for technician educators.

SC ATE Programs Improve Graduation Rates

SC ATE’s nationally acclaimed model programs are raising graduation rates, increasing the enrollment and persistence of minority students, and improving employer satisfaction. They are now used in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada. An independent study gave the models a rating of 4.0 on a 0-4.0 scale for “effectiveness in helping students learn the knowledge and skills and/or practices needed to be successful in the technical workplace.”

At the high school level, SC ATE’s Technology Gateway classes are improving the completion rates of at-risk students. From 2007 to 2010, 93.8% of 81 students in the White County High School Gateway program completed it and passed the math and science portions of the Georgia High School Graduation Test. At the 2-year college level, SC ATE’s Technology Gateway provides an on-ramp to engineering technology programs for underprepared students who need to strengthen prerequisite skills.

ATE Scholars, Interns & Scholarship Winners Pursue Engineering Technology Careers

ATE Scholars, the center’s internship program, has posted 10 years of excellent results with the support of the 20 companies involved in its Industry Consortium. From 2000 to 2010, the program placed 107 interns at South Carolina manufacturing, energy, construction, engineering, and IT firms. Ninety-eight of 100 ATE Scholars have graduated and gone on to careers in the engineering technology field. Seven are currently enrolled in college and placed in internships. In addition to the scholarship component of the ATE Scholars program, SC ATE manages 2 other scholarship programs. Altogether, 186 students pursuing careers in industrial, engineering, or computer technology have benefitted from SC ATE facilitated scholarships.

SC ATE Helps Replication Efforts

SC ATE assists technician educators across the country with the adaptation of successful SC ATE project-based curricula and models, including ATE Scholars, Tech Stars, and Engineering Technology Career Ambassadors. Approximately 10,000 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students have benefited from faculty development provided by SC ATE to high school teachers and 2-year college faculty in 14 states. SC ATE curricula impacts students by teaching soft skills to complement their technical skills. For instance, the SC ATE curriculum allows students to learn and practice conflict resolution and teamwork. This promotes workplace success and smooths students’ transition to successful industrial project work when they are employed.

SC ATE Impacts ATE Community

SC ATE’s Web site www.TeachingTechnicians.org connects providers of more than 400 faculty development events with their target audience of technician educators.

The SC ATE team collaborates with subject matter experts from across ATE to develop new programs and curricula in response to industry needs. SC ATE’s e-learning teaching materials and modules on robotics, nuclear engineering technology, and virtual reality stimulate interest in technical careers, engage new students in learning, and help grow the nation’s workforce and economy.