This project is providing students in secondary dual enrollment and postsecondary technical majors the core knowledge and skills to gain employment in the rapidly expanding Marcellus Shale Natural Gas industry in the Pennsylvania Allegheny Plateau region. Through curriculum modification of 9 technical majors at the college and professional development of secondary instructors, students in over 14 school districts and career and technology centers earn college credit in high demand natural gas occupational areas through dual enrollment. Serving a predominately rural population, these secondary schools are being assisted in recruiting students from underrepresented population, many of whom are first generation college students and women.
Intellectual Merit: The project is developing quality, state-of-the-art curriculum units integrated into existing courses for technicians in the emerging Marcellus Shale horizontal drilling natural gas industry. Examination of technician skills needed by the industry and integration of these concepts into existing technician curricula is improving student learning for this emerging economic sector. Dual enrollment student learning is being assessed using a model that ensures parallel content in the high school dual enrollment courses and follows the national standards established by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). College faculty are assessing high school students through joint assessment with the high school teacher. High school dual enrollment courses, taught by the high school teacher, use the college final, graded by the college faculty, to ensure comparable rigor. Hence, college-level student learning is being assured.
Broader Impact: The infrastructure of the technician educational pipeline is being significantly enhanced through a partnership between the secondary education system, the college, and the Natural Gas Industry. Students who complete dual enrollment credits have been found to complete college at a higher rate and underrepresented populations have an opportunity to test postsecondary experiences in the safe environment of their secondary school, resulting in increased college enrollment. The results of the project activities are being disseminated through an annual statewide education and workforce development conference and session presentations at statewide education and workforce development conferences. A web portal houses educational curricula and statewide training opportunities. Linkages to national NSF curriculum clearinghouses are being developed.
While conventional oil and gas exploration has existed since the mid-1850’s, rapid changes in technology that allow for the recovery of natural gas and oil contained in shale formations has resulted in ‘game changing’ opportunities for U.S. energy production. This has changed the demand for and nature of the skills needed by technicians in this industry. This project modified existing technician education majors at Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College) in Williamsport, PA (www.pct.edu) to provide students in applied technology education a foundational knowledge of this emerging industry. Technological applications for the natural gas industry in over 11 occupational areas were modified affecting 42 majors. The other project focus was to increase the number of students interested in the career pathway into natural gas related technician education majors, and to change the demographic composition of students entering these occupations. The project used dual enrollment in high school technical courses as the pathway to increase the number of students. To accomplish changes in demographics, educators were trained in methods to help remove barriers or inequities for female and minority students. Modification of Existing Technician Majors at Pennsylvania College of Technology Thirty-one courses at Penn College required in 42 majors were modified to include new content that addresses natural gas concepts and applications. Career areas included in these modifications are: Automotive Technology, Computer Aided Product Design, Civil Engineering Technology, Diesel Technology, Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology, Forest Technology, Heavy Construction Equipment Technology, Information Technology, On-Site Power Generation, Plastics & Polymer Technology, and Welding Technology. Science courses in Geology, Chemistry and General Science were also modified and developed. The approach of modification of majors at the College annually resulted in over 900 student-experiences of receiving natural gas content and knowledge. Science classes took field trips to geological formation that showed outcrops of the shale and whenever possible, arranged visits to operating natural gas wells. Assessment for learning gains of student knowledge found that students made significant gains in understanding relevant content from the modifications. Enhancing the Career Pathway for Technician Education: Penn College NOW The project enrolled high school students in dual enrollment in technical courses: earning high school and college credit at the same time (www.pct.edu/k12/penncollegenow). The dual enrollment program at Penn College is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) – an organization with established standards that ensure high quality dual enrollment programs. Through this model, high school technical teachers were trained in the content and delivery of Penn College courses so that they could deliver the Penn College course at the school or career and technology center during the school day. This option provided many students who otherwise would be unable to access college credit, to have a chance to experience college content within the confines of their high school classroom. Provided to students for 10% of the on-campus cost, the dual enrollment program provided students with 3-15 credits toward their technician degree in areas aligned with occupations in the natural gas industry. Dual enrollment courses required in the technician majors that were modified as part of this grant were delivered at the secondary level. Penn College NOW dual enrollment grew every year, increasing by 78 percent over the three year period from 188 to 335 with over 1,400 credits earned by high school students in the final year. During this same period, five partner sites (Penn College plus 4 dual enrollment secondary schools) were trained by the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) to identify enrollment barriers for female and minority students and to build data-driven strategies to remove these barriers. In addition, key participants from partner sites participated in a one-day "Micromessaging to Reach and Teach Every Student" awareness training for equitable classrooms and school environments. Partner institutions have seen identifiable increases in enrollment and graduation of female and minority students in their programs. Other Activities The project worked closely with industry through various advisory groups. These advisory groups represented both large energy companies and small service companies that subcontract with the larger companies. The partnership with these groups as they struggle to build a workforce in this rapidly expanding US industry enabled the project team to become part of the leadership to shape the workforce requirements of the Northeastern United States.
