Technical Education

The Illinois House and Senate are considering an amendment that would allow community colleges to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees in technical programs like advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity.

A pair of bills expected to be introduced to the Ohio House and Senate next week propose to make computer science a graduation requirement for all high schoolers by 2027-28.

The Alabama State Department of Education and the nonprofit Be Pro Be Proud launched a mobile workforce development tour, bringing virtual and augmented reality job site simulations to students throughout the state.

A public research university in Huntsville, Texas, will open a new college this fall offering certificates in the paralegal studies program, practical AI and intelligent automation, and computer support and security.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced in his State of the State address last week a collaboration between four higher education institutions to make the state a major supplier of energy for emerging technologies.

Through Columbus State University's partnership with the new Maneuver Innovation Lab at Fort Moore, Georgia, robotics and engineering students have the opportunity to research and develop new technology.

In its first year, a federally funded program through Miami Dade College trained 675 students at universities or boot camps, and 315 of those have since found jobs with salaries $66,000 or more.

To expand computer science education at Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Colorado, a former IT coordinator convened a group of teachers to help overhaul course offerings and standardize a curriculum with broad appeal.

A public university in Minnesota will launch a new computer science program with options for online courses and three specialties in design, web design and user experience, or 3D design and user experience.

A community college in Nebraska worked with the city of Lincoln and a local technology services company on a 65,000-square-foot facility with classrooms, specialized lab spaces, a data center and a cybersecurity center.

A $9.9 million federal grant will help the college use extended reality, in the form of virtual tours and VR videos, to give people with disabilities a glimpse into what a typical workday in manufacturing looks like.

The online programs, open to the public, will offer certifications in software engineering, data analytics or cybersecurity, along with one-on-one mentorships from industry professionals at Fortune 100 companies.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout will use a National Science Foundation grant to support computer science research and curriculum development by high school teachers.

A public community college in North Carolina will put a $5 million federal grant toward transforming a warehouse into a skilled trades center with programs in fields such as HVAC and construction.

A need for skilled workforce development and technical training in Central Texas has prompted the college system to expand to a 12th campus, which will likely host programs in advanced manufacturing technology.

Twelve L.A. County high school students made it to the Young Innovators Accelerator Pitch Competition last week. Freshman Gabriel Cardenas won first place and $1,400 for his pitch of an AI tool to help students study.

Electrathon clubs like the one at East Central High School in San Antonio teach STEM concepts involved with electric vehicles by challenging students to build and race their own battery-powered mini cars.

A bill awaiting Gov. Mike DeWine's signature would support the career-technical workforce by allowing teachers to be certified through coursework and local professional development or a two-year mentoring program.