TECH-PREP A Means to Recruit Students into the Engineering and Surveying Professions by Robert J. Mergel, P.E., P.S. Columbus State Community College

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1 TECH-PREP A Means to Recruit Students into the Engineering and Surveying Professions by Robert J. Mergel, P.E., P.S. Columbus State Community College Background The Carl D Perkins Career and Technology Education Act, initially enacted in 1987 and reauthorized 1998 (P. L ), provides U.S. Government funding for Tech Prep. The Perkins Career and Technology Education Act is due for reauthorization before June 30, As of the writing of this report there are a Senate and a House version of the reauthorization before the U.S Congress. Tech Prep funding first became available to Ohio in In addition to Federal Funding the State of Ohio also provides funding. Ohio calls its model "College Tech Prep" to emphasize the high school to college-prep nature of the programs. The Ohio TECH PREP website defines Tech Prep as College Tech Prep is a connected, rigorous sequence of courses that leads to a post secondary degree and new economy employment (2004). The Ohio Board of Regents defines TECH PREP as College Tech Prep is a federally-funded, national education reform that engages educators, employers and community members to serve students while meeting the increasing demand for a technology-skilled workforce. (2004). The intent of the initiative is to provide a seamless connection to college programs, and to emphasize the importance of completing the college component of the program. The Central Ohio Tech Prep Consortium was created in February 1992 with 6 partner school districts, Columbus State Community College, and several business partners. Initially, Columbus State was the fiscal agent, housing and employing the consortium staff. The first programs included Information Engineering Technologies (now IT), Business Technologies, and Engineering Technologies. In 1996, the consortium changed its name to Heart of Ohio Tech Prep Consortium to accommodate addition of the Ohio University Lancaster (OUL) Campus and school districts within Fairfield County. The OUL Campus staffed and housed a Tech Prep Regional Office to expand Tech Prep in Fairfield County. Environmental Technologies, Health Technologies, Construction Technologies, and Automotive Diagnostic Technologies were added in Architecture, Civil Engineering (including Surveying), Construction Management Technologies are included in the Construction Technologies Program. Ohio University Chillicothe (OUC), Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) and C-TECH of Licking County have joined the consortium. Currently, Tech Prep support staff are stationed in the partnership offices throughout the Consortium. Construction Technologies Overview In 1994 the Heart of Ohio (then Central Ohio Tech Prep) Consortium began development of the Construction Technologies Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs) and High School to College Pathways. At that time no Construction Technologies Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs) existed. Program Model development was performed at

2 Columbus State Community College and included Gahanna Lincoln High School/Eastland Fairfield Career and Technical Schools, Pickaway Ross JVS and Pickerington High School. Ultimately the TCPs developed by the Heart of Ohio Consortium became the model for the Ohio Tech Prep Program. In school year , the high school component of the Construction Technologies program model for College Tech Prep is offered at the following secondary sites: Delaware Area Career Center (South Campus); Delaware OH Eastland Career Center; Groveport, OH [Electrical Trades apprenticeship pathway] Gahanna Lincoln High School; Gahanna OH (a satellite program of Eastland- Fairfield Career & Technical Schools) Pickerington High School (South); Pickerington, OH C-Tech, Licking County The college component of the Construction Technologies program offers three choices of associate degree programs at Columbus State Community College, Columbus OH: Architecture Civil Engineering Technology Construction Management Currently, Delaware Area Career Center and Gahanna Lincoln High School/Eastland Career Center have an Architecture Program and Pickerington High School has a Civil Engineering Technology (Surveying) and Construction Management Program. Portions of the college component of the Construction Technologies program are offered at Central Ohio Technical College. Pathway Courses Participating partner secondary education high schools must offer curricula containing Construction Technologies Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs). Graduates must demonstrate mastery of these competencies to receive college credit for the following courses at Columbus State Community College: ARCH 111 Basic Drafting (Manual) Now ARCH 110 Basic Drafting ARCH 112 CAD Drafting CIVL 120 Basic Construction Materials CMGT 105 Construction Contract Documents CMGT 121 Building Construction Drawings CMGT 253 Residential Construction

3 Mastery of the Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs) is determined by assessment instruments (homework, laboratory projects, tests and individual projects) administered at the secondary education site. The secondary education (high school) faculty, usually a tech prep instructional team, are responsible for assessment. Upon admission to Columbus State Community College the student s credits are held in escrow until the student successfully completes the sequel course(s) in the curricula. Although no surveying courses are included in the pathway courses, measurement theory and field surveying exercises are included in the tech prep mathematics courses. Construction Science Pathways- Getting Started As previously discussed development of the Construction Technologies Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs) and High School to College Pathways began in Pickerington High School initiated its Civil Engineering Technology Tech Prep Program in During that intermediate period of time many steps were taken to ensure success. These steps or actions are listed as follows: Co-Development of the Construction Technologies Technology Competency Profiles (TCPs). o CSCC Faculty o High School Partners o Business and Profession Partners Columbus State Community College Faculty Given Reassigned (Release) Time for Tech Prep Development Exchange of Instructional Materials o Lecture Materials o Laboratory Manuals o Assessment Tools o Instructional Media o Suggested Textbooks Faculty Partnering and Numerous Site Visits to Tech Prep Partner Facilities Identifying Professional Partners o A/E Consulting Firms o Governmental Entities (Franklin and Fairfield Counties and Ohio DOT) o Construction Companies (Smoot and Turner) o Public Utilities (American Electric Power) o Testing Laboratories (CTL Engineering) High School (Tech Prep Team) Faculty Enrolling in CSCC Courses o Construction CAD Drafting o Basic Construction Materials o Basic Surveying Inclusion of Tech Prep Partners Faculty in Technical Advisory Committee Meetings

4 In addition to the above listed steps the Tech Prep Partners developed a coordinated approach to program delivery. It was realized early in the Tech Prep Pathways Development that facilities and equipment associated with the course-work could not be duplicated at each Tech Prep site. It was also realized that the faculty at each Tech Prep site could not become proficient in operation of the specialized testing and measurement equipment associated with various laboratory projects. Coordination steps include: Identify equipment needs and costs from a list provided by Columbus State Community College o Identify the procedures and associated equipment which can be performed in house (What equipment can the high school afford?) o Identify those procedures which will require specialized equipment Determine which procedures need to be performed at: o Columbus State Community College o Private materials testing company o State/municipal testing facilities Group laboratory exercises together to make maximum use of time on-site at the College/Private/State testing facilities Loaning of equipment (surveying equipment) to the high school to perform laboratory exercises at the high school site. Coordinate times that Columbus State Community College faculty can assist the high school faculty with surveying and materials testing exercises Coordination of the deliver procedures is illustrated in the following case example. Case Example: Delivery of the Surveying Component As previously discussed the measurement theory and surveying component is included in the delivery of the trigonometry course. Pickerington High School Tech Prep students are required to take a college regimen of mathematics courses. However, in addition to the traditional mathematics course-work, these students perform three (3) practical introductory surveying exercises taken from the Columbus State Community College SURV 141 Basic Surveying course. These laboratory exercises are described as follows: 1. Closing the Horizon: This project acquaints student with correct method of establishing an instrument (Total Station) over a point and the correct operation of the instrument. It also provides student with practice in turning angles to preset points and reading the instrument's scales. 2. Total Station Operations: This project involves measuring angles and distances between three (3) pre-set points by traditional and taping and by electronic distance measurement. It also provides data for the application of the law of sines.

5 3. Radial Building Staking: This project involves setting building corner stakes and offset stakes for an L shaped building. This project requires the student to apply trigonometric functions and the Pythagorean Theorem to solve the angles and distances from a baseline to each point. Techniques learned in each of these laboratory projects are later applied by the students in acquiring data and staking the class project. These projects are performed between Summer and Autumn Quarters when Pickerington High School classes are in session, Columbus State Community College faculty and equipment are available to assist the Pickerington High School Faculty. Pickerington High School Experience As previously discussed Pickerington High School initiated its Civil Engineering Technology Tech Prep Program in Each year the Pickerington High School Tech Prep classes participate and have taken first place in the Tech Prep District Project Competition. Recently, Pickerington was permitted to send both junior and senior teams and have taken first and second respectively. They have displayed their projects at the statehouse, presented at the Heart of Ohio consortium summer workshop and conducted panel discussions about Tech Prep for area-wide guidance counselors. The faculty have presented at the National Tech Prep Convention. While enrollment in the program is limited to a maximum of twenty students, class size ranges from a low of seven to the maximum limit. Data from 1998 to 2003 indicates that an annual average of ten students complete the program. Data also indicates that 50% of the graduates enter a construction, surveying, or civil engineering field; further classification of the data is not available. Enrollment data from Columbus State Community College indicates that the Construction Sciences programs attract an average of three Pickerington High School Tech Prep graduates per year. While tracking data is incomplete, however, some graduates have selected other interesting professions: A Mathematics Teacher at Pickerington High School One in Mortuary Science An Auto Mechanic A Forest Ranger Two Firefighters Two at Architecture at University of Cincinnati Unfortunately Columbus State Community College as well as other colleges do not track tech prep students through completion of the college/university program. It is apparent that the Pickerington High School Tech Prep program enjoys state and nation-wide recognition as a high quality program. Since its inception it has become the model for successive programs. Conversely, attraction, retention, tracking of students is not optimal.

6 What Steps Can be Taken to Increase Program Attraction/Retention? Pickerington is typical of many major suburban area school systems. A pole of the 2004 Graduating Class indicated the following post-high school paths (2004): Attend 4 year colleges: 70% Direct Employment: 8% Attend 2 year colleges: 15% Military: 1% Technical/Trade School: 4% Undecided: 2% It is noted that the largest percentage of students intend to attend a four-year degree granting college/university. Although Tech Prep in Ohio is defined as College Prep, most students and parents still perceive Tech Prep as vocational education or a path terminating in only a two year technical degree. The major task, therefore, is to change that perception. Currently there are two factors/trends in Ohio which may help facilitate a change in perception. These are: The increasing costs of a obtaining a four year degree via the traditional route. The requirement of Senate Bill 95 for the establishment of the Ohio Course Applicability System (CAS). In addition to these factors, professional organizations such as Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio (PLSO) working in concert with two and four colleges and universities by taking proactive measures to develop a state-wide surveying course transfer matrix. Moreover, national organizations such as National Society of Professional Surveyors have recently developed recruitment packages which can easily be used by individuals, colleges and universities and professional organizations. It can be concluded that all of the pieces for a successful recruitment program currently exist. All that remains is development of a coherent delivery system. Such a system should include, but not limited to, the following: Dissemination of the NSPS Surveying/Geomatics Student Recruitment package to all participating Tech Prep partners. An industry-wide effort to implement the Construction Science Tech Prep program bases on the Pickerington Experience at other high schools Development of a state-wide surveying course transfer matrix and completion of two year college to four year college/university articulation agreements.

7 Development and dissemination of comprehensive high school to four year degree pathways outlining the seamless transition from high school to two year to four year colleges and the cost savings associated with this model.

8 REFERENCES Heart of Ohio TECH PREP website (2004). Ohio Board of Regents TECH PREP website (2004). Ohio TECH PREP website (2004). Pickerington High School Website (2004).