Cooperative Agreement NGAWM000324

ELIGIBLE APPLICANT CATEGORY: INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AS AN AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN SCHOOL SINCE 1972.ELIGIBLE PROJECT CATEGORY: (A) PROJECTS THAT ESTABLISH NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT TEACH TECHNICAL SKILLS USED IN AVIATION MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING PURCHASING EQUIPMENT, OR TO IMPROVE EXISTING PROGRAMS (B) PROJECTS THAT ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIPS OR APPRENTICESHIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS PURSUING EMPLOYMENT IN THE AVIATION MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY AND (C) PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT OUTREACH ABOUT CAREERS IN THE AVIATION MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY TO: PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OR COMMUNITIES UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE INDUSTRY.PROJECT OVERVIEW: IHCCS GROWING OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSTSECONDARY AVIATION CAREER EDUCATION (GO PACE) PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MEETING THE NATIONAL NEED FOR AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICAL (AMT) WORKERS BY INSPIRING INTEREST IN AND INCREASE ACCESS TO AMT CAREERS IN SOUTHEAST IOWA. THE COLLEGE WILL CONDUCT TARGETED AMT CAREER OUTREACH TO YOUTH, UPGRADE AMT TRAINING EQUIPMENT FOR SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY AMT STUDENTS AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO POSTSECONDARY AMT STUDENTS WITH BARRIERS TO COMPLETION. THROUGH THIS TWO-YEAR PROJECT, IHCC WILL INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS IN ITS AMT TRAINING PROGRAMS AND IN TURN PRODUCE MORE QUALIFIED AMT TECHNICIANS TO FILL WORKFORCE NEEDS. PROJECT OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) INCREASE STUDENT SCORES IN IHCC AMT COURSES FEATURING UPGRADED EQUIPMENT BY 9% COMPARED TO 2023-24 SCORES BY THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD 2) INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN IHCCS AMT PROGRAMS BY 40% BY THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD THROUGH TARGETED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND 3) INCREASE FIRST- TO SECOND-YEAR RETENTION BY 10% AMONG AMT POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS BY END OF PROJECT PERIOD BY PROVIDING STIPENDS TO COVER STUDENTS UNMET FINANCIAL NEEDS.ACTIVITIES INCLUDE EMBEDDING VIRTUAL REALITY AND ACTIVE LEARNING TRAINING AIDS INTO IHCCS SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY AMT CURRICULUM VISITING SIX RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS PER YEAR TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT AMT CAREERS HOSTING A TWO-DAY YOUTH SUMMER CAMP FOR 3RD-6TH GRADE STUDENTS AND AN OPEN HOUSE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND PROVIDING STIPENDS TO POSTSECONDARY AMT STUDENTS IN NEED TO COVER UNMET NEEDS FOR THEIR COSTS OF COLLEGE ATTENDANCE, WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL BRING KNOWLEDGE OF THE AMT FIELD TO AREAS WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES TO EDUCATE POTENTIAL STUDENTS AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SKILLED AMT WORKERS, DIRECTLY FEEDING THE WORKFORCE BY DECREASING FINANCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL HURDLES FOR AMT STUDENTS.