Practical polymers for students and industry (ppsi)

This Project Grant award of $594,574 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) supports Pennsylvania College of Technology's "Practical Polymers for Students and Industry (PPSI)" project. The project aims to redesign the college's Plastics/Polymer Technology program to create new certificate, associate, and bachelor's degree pathways with a focus on predominantly asynchronous, online coursework paired with hands-on summer and weekend laboratory experiences. This hybrid training model seeks to broaden access and provide a rapid on-ramp for new graduates and incumbent workers to enter well-paying careers in the polymer technology industry. Additionally, the project aims to introduce at least 300 high school students to the polymer technology educational and career pathways, and provide externship opportunities for high school educators to integrate polymer technology topics into their STEM classes. The award period is from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2027.

Abstract

Plastics and polymer products are ubiquitous in many aspects of daily life, which creates a continuous demand for a skilled technical workforce in plastics manufacturing and related industries. Through the track 2 ATE project, pennsylvania college of technology (penn college), seeks to redesign its plastics/polymer technology program (PPT) to reach a broader population of potential and current technicians, including new graduates and incumbent workers. Through the project, this team aims to create new certificate, AAS, and AAS-to-BS program pathways that are predominantly asynchronous, online courses, paired with intensive summer and weekend hands-on labs. These pathways are likely to provide a low-barrier, rapid on-ramp opportunities that broaden access for new and incumbent workers to enter well-paying careers in polymer technology industries. Additionally, the project seeks to advance understanding about reaching populations that are currently underrepresented in plastics fields. Ultimately, this project has the potential for far-reaching applicability for other technical education institutions, with relevance for a wide range of employers in the plastics manufacturing sector. The project has four primary objectives: (1) redesign the first year of the AAS program to establish two hybrid, asynchronous for-credit certificate programs; (2) recruit adult learners into the redesigned PPT AAS and certificate programs through outreach to local technical employers; (3) introduce at least 300 high school students to PPT educational and career pathways through classroom activities and dual enrollment programs; and (4) provide a PPT educator externship to support high school educators to integrate polymer technology topics into high school stem classes. The project team also plans to investigate how to efficiently implement an asynchronous multi-pathway training program that engages a wide range of learners, including current high school students completing an early college program, new graduates interested in entering the field as technicians, and incumbent workers who seek to increase their skills. Project evaluation efforts seek to advance understanding about whether students who live outside of the college?s nearby region can meaningfully complete a PPT certificate with substantially reduced on-campus time, and how to give incumbent workers training that adds value for both the student and employer. Project findings are proposed to be shared with a wide range of stakeholders, including other ATE program grantees, technical colleges, institutions of higher education, and industry partners. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.