Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the technician early college…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the technician early college (TEC) collaborative project is the result of extensive planning between ranken technical college and the lincoln r-III school district in lincoln county, MO. TEC advances dual credit technical education and accelerated degree attainment - applying existing practices at ranken technical college to effectively serve a rural, agricultural population. The area in question - lincoln county, MO northwest of the ST. Louis metropolitan area - is almost entirely without post-secondary education of any kind and various leaders have expressed its need to develop a skilled technical workforce, which in turn will propel economic growth in one of missouri's top agricultural regions. The state of missouri has expressed its willingness to help replicate the TEC dual enrollment work-based model to other rural communities. The technician early college (TEC) project focuses on program development and improvement by exploring the modification of ongoing, clearly defined, accelerated career pathways that will result in increased employment opportunities for students. The local school district will help engage, recruit, assess and prepare students to participate in the program. Then, senior high school students will be able to earn college credit, engage in paid work experiences, and work towards an accelerated associate's degree. A ranken technical college education includes three components: technical education, general education, and work ethic. In all three areas, students are given a list of learning outcomes that describe what students should be able to demonstrate upon completion of each course, and overall completion of the degree/certificate. Ranken works directly with industry partners on job development and placement after graduation. Ranken technical college is fully accredited by the higher learning commission.TEC will provide college level instruction in agricultural engineering technology while helping to establish a permanent presence in lincoln county, MO. The planned satellite campus in troy, MO will include a fully functional aquaponics lab and serve as a showcase for informal learning activities. Overall, TEC will develop a skilled workforce needed throughout a major agricultural region of missouri and encourage exploration of post-secondary career paths outside traditional four-year degrees.