NWCET: Delivering Innovative Solutions for IT Education

Welcome to the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET).

The New Economy is alive and flourishing in the Northwest. We sit at the hub of one of the nation’s leading technology centers. Many of our high-tech neighbors and Center partners are industry leaders and have global reach and brand recognition. These firms include - the world’s largest software manufacturer - Microsoft Corporation; the nation’s largest exporter and aerospace firm - The Boeing Company; the world's largest bookstore - Amazon.com; the world's largest streaming media company – RealNetworks; the Northwest headquarters of the nation’s largest wireless communications provider - Verizon Wireless; the Northwest headquarters of the world’s largest Broadband Internet-based communications company - Qwest Communications; and the world's largest coffee company - Starbucks Corporation.

Education, too, is at the center of the New Economy. This results from the increasing convergence of work, education and technology in our lives. The success of the New Economy critically depends upon the availability of a well-educated workforce. Education and career planning are no longer viewed as linear, but rather iterative and lifelong. Our students tell us they want education that is cost- and time-efficient, convenient, and available "anytime and anywhere" they want to access it. As a National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Center, the NWCET works with partner educational institutions to help them deliver timely, accessible and innovative solutions for Information Technology (IT) education.

Already, more than half of all jobs in the United States are IT-related or IT-enabled. Employers need Information Workers who are skilled in critical thinking, technical knowledge, and interpersonal communications. The NWCET is creating the products, services and Best Practices that enhance Information Technology education in our region and nation-wide.

Education is the engine driving the third Industrial Revolution. And Information Technology, in the form of the Internet, is the connector that is linking us across time, distance, and disciplines. As we enter the 21st Century, the NWCET continues its tradition of bringing together students, educators, government and employers in order to discover innovative solutions for IT Education.

Neil Evans,
Executive Director, NWCET