Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), three Community Colleges (John Tyler Community College-JTCC, Tidewater Community College-TCC, and Virginia Western Community College-VWCC), and the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program (VGEP) at Virginia Tech are partners in the project.
The vision is to make Virginia's Community Colleges the preferred source for geospatial technician education and geospatial workforce retraining in the Commonwealth. The overarching goal is to provide industry and public agencies with a larger pool of geospatially skilled technicians. The project is led by a Steering Committee comprised of partners selected for their expertise in geospatial technology, workforce needs, professional development, and curriculum development. Project activities and deliverables are being accomplished through Working Groups in the following areas: 1) Workforce Needs, 2) Curriculum and Formal Education, 3) Professional Development for Faculty and Teachers, 4) Web Resources, 5) Career Awareness, 6) Diversity/Recruitment, 7) Linkage to NSF-ATE Centers and Other Resources, 8) Sustainability, and 9) Evaluation. The project is informed by an Advisory Committee consisting of professionals with expertise and experience in essential project components.
The project is conducting professional development workshops for community college faculty and high school teachers. Pilot career awareness activities and geospatial curriculum modules are being developed and evaluated.
