THE SOLUTION:
Realizing that the task at hand was nation-wide in scope, in the Fall of 1998, the NWCET began a collaborative project with the IEEE, one of the nation's largest professional organizations with over 330, 000 members. We proposed to begin solving the IT worker shortage by creating a suite of compelling, well-researched "Cyber Career" education products that addressed the information needs of not only middle and high school students but also undecided college students and re-careering and upskiliing adults.
Our partnership with the IEEE ensured that the product would be available nation-wide. The IEEE produces 30% of the world's published literature in electrical engineering and computers and control technology, holds more than 300 conferences annually, has more than 1000 student branches at universities worldwide, and consists of over 300 local organizations for member networking and information sharing.
The NWCET and the Educational Activities Department of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) began with plans to collaborate on a video about IT careers.
The Cyber Careers video was to provide outreach to middle and high school student with a special focus on women and minorities. The main purpose of the NWCET/IEEE collaborative video was to inform students about IT careers and to attract underrepresented populations to the IT profession. The video would also focus on the dual goals of emphasizing the appeal of the profession in the view of younger students (middle/jr. high school) and projecting a positive image of IT professionals.
In September 1999, we received a second grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the development of pre-service and in-service teacher training materials, a website for quick training, and workshops. This second, companion component of the Cyber Careers project was to give teachers and counselors the tools they need to quickly educate themselves about emerging IT careers and then pass on that information to their students using the student materials we develop.
The NWCET and IEEE next planned to develop two products one for students and one for pre-service and in-service teachers and counselors.
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