Explorations: ETA-ESW DCL: Recruiting Cohorts of Underrepresented High Schoolers to Advanced Manufacturing Careers (COHORT)

Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale VA

Investigators

Abstract

The semiconductor manufacturing and data center industries, both critical elements of computing infrastructure in the United States, has a growing unmet need for entry-level technician talent. In the Northern Virginia region specifically, these industries struggle with a lack of student awareness alongside underdeveloped pathways to technician careers. Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) COHORT project addresses this need by developing a structured scholarship program for graduating high school seniors to earn credentials in Engineering Technology (ET). Participants in the COHORT program will complete a summer bridge program, receive targeted academic supports during coursework, and be placed in a guaranteed internship at semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology or a regional data center partner. Over the course of the project duration, COHORT will recruit, train, and place 90 students into in-demand careers in ET. COHORT is a coalition between NOVA, Micron Technology, the data center industry, regional school districts, and community organizations. Through a targeted outreach plan, the development of a culturally responsive suite of co-curricular supports, and guaranteed internship opportunities, COHORT will recruit graduating underrepresented minorities (URM) seniors to a structured block program to earn credentials in engineering technology. COHORT will advance understanding of the effectiveness of an intensive cohort structure at improving completion and career outcomes for URM students in an emerging technological field. Results from COHORT will be of interest to IHEs seeking to improve recruitment methods for broadening participation in career & technical education. COHORT will also advance understanding of the impacts of structured mentoring on URM persistence and completion. Finally, COHORT will document the impacts of access to internships in emerging technologies on career learning outcomes for URM students. This project is co-funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) and Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) programs. 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.