Center of Excellence for Information and Computing Technology » certificate http://www.coeforict.org Advancing IT Education and the Workplace in Washington State Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:02:19 +0000 en hourly 1 Information and Computing Technology Degree/Certificate Reviews: Spring 2012 http://www.coeforict.org/2012/01/information-and-computing-technology-degreecertificate-reviews-spring-2012/ http://www.coeforict.org/2012/01/information-and-computing-technology-degreecertificate-reviews-spring-2012/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:25:22 +0000 Maureen http://www.coeforict.org/?p=2824

The Center of Excellence is now accepting up to five IT degrees/certificates from Washington State Community and Technical Colleges for the Spring 2012 quarter for a review session from industry professionals

The Center is now opening up the application process for IT degrees and certificates. Any Washington State CTC can submit one information or computing technology degree or certificate for a two-hour review session by IT industry professionals. This service is offered at no charge to the participating college(s).

The reviews will take place May-June 2012, and reports will be issued to the colleges by June 2012. The reports summarize the recommendations made by the industry review team, as well as provide a high-level workforce trend scan, employment trends if applicable, and possibilities for emerging trends that might impact curricular changes or developments.

The application submission deadline is Friday, April 6, 2012.

Find out more about the process, the history, and access to the application online form.

]]> http://www.coeforict.org/2012/01/information-and-computing-technology-degreecertificate-reviews-spring-2012/feed/ 0 Review of IT/CS CTC Degree by Industry Professionals: May 13-14, 2011 http://www.coeforict.org/2010/08/review-of-itcs-ctc-programs-by-industry-professionals-2010/ http://www.coeforict.org/2010/08/review-of-itcs-ctc-programs-by-industry-professionals-2010/#comments Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:17:45 +0000 admin http://www.coeforict.org/?p=1492

Submit a degree or certificate for review by our team of industry professionals for the next review session, Thursday, May 13, and/or Friday, May 14, 2011.  Deadline for submission by Monday, May 1, 2011.

The CoE for ICT, is again, making available its connections with its IT/CS industry professionals (from multiple program pathways – web programming, programming, networking, systems, database, hardware/software technicians, gaming, etc.) to review up to eight Washington state CTC IT/CS program degrees and certificates currently in place (one degree or certificate per college).  This service will be offered at no charge to up to eight participating state CTCs at any time during the 2010-2011 year.  Once you make the request, the Center will schedule a review team and date.  Four CTC ICT degree reviews were performed in December 2010.

Note: There are eight slots available for a spring quarter 2011 review. Please submit a degree/certificate from your college for the spring quarter review process.

January 04, 2011: Four reviews were completed December 2010 and the reports were delivered to the four participating colleges in January 2011

  • Lower Columbia College
  • North Seattle Community College
  • Seattle Central Community College
  • Skagit Valley College

The review team will assess alignment of program’s course offerings and curriculum to determine if the degree or certificate is preparing students to successfully enter the workforce.  The review sessions are not open to participating college administrators and/or faculty  in order to optimize the free flow of feedback and information from the industry professionals.

  • Upon completion of the industry analysis, the Center will issue a five-page, high-level recommendation and plan for action report to each college.  The participating CTC will be asked to provide feedback about any future action or action plans based upon the review process and report.  The CoE for IT will upon request review action plans; provide feedback and advice to participating CTCs.  Industry professionals will review and provide analysis of progress.
  • Follow-up interviews and/or evaluations with participating colleges will assess the projects level of impact for the respective colleges.  The CoE will provide mentoring upon request.
  • The process and reports documenting the process will be disseminated, including specifics related to the return on investment on the Center’s website, e-newsletter, and at related conferences and events.

Last year the Center reviewed and issued reports to:

  • Big Bend Community College
  • Bellevue College
  • Cascadia Community College
  • Everett Community College
  • Lower Columbia Community College
  • Seattle Central Community College

The 27 industry participants include professionals from Microsoft, Affirma Consulting,  Akvelon, Boeing, Starbucks, Click-Network, and Hitachi Consulting.

Interested in having your program reviewed?  Complete our online application!

]]> http://www.coeforict.org/2010/08/review-of-itcs-ctc-programs-by-industry-professionals-2010/feed/ 0 Expanding Health IT Training: $3.3 Million Federal Government Award http://www.coeforict.org/2010/04/1292/ http://www.coeforict.org/2010/04/1292/#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:57:21 +0000 Maureen http://www.coeforict.org/?p=1292 Federal government awards Bellevue College $3.3 million to lead 10 states in expanding health IT training

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Bellevue College first-year funding of $3.36 million to lead a 10-state consortium of community colleges in expanding health information technology (health IT) training over the next two years.

Under the grant, Bellevue College will join four other community colleges — from Ohio, Virginia, California and North Carolina – in leading one of the five, multi-state community college consortia HHS is establishing to expand health IT training in all 50 states.

Each consortium will develop and launch new programs to train workers across its region in computer-based tools such as digital medical records; billing, scheduling, patient monitoring and decision-making programs; and systems for communicating with patients and consumers. Applying these tools in hospitals, clinics and physician’s offices is believed by many to be one of the most productive ways to improve the quality and efficiency of American health care.

Bellevue College will use $1.6 million of the grant to administer the consortium and develop programs in Washington, disbursing the remainder to the other seven consortium members: Portland Community College (Portland, Ore.), North Idaho College (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho), Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake City, Utah), Montana Tech (Butte, Mont.), Pueblo Community College ( Pueblo, Col.), Dakota State University (Madison, S. D.), and Lake Region State College (Devils Lake, N. D.).

Each college will use its funds to implement nationally developed health IT curricula, and support learners in finding related employment. In addition to colleges in the members’ states, schools in Alaska and Wyoming are expected to be involved in this aspect of the project.

Altogether, the consortium plans to train a total of 2,400 new health IT workers over the next two years – 300 in Washington state alone – and assist them in finding jobs.

Bellevue College has been heavily involved in the new field of life science informatics since 2004, which when it received $875,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor to serve as the Life Science Informatics Center of Excellence of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce. Under that grant, the college developed job skill standards and curricula that are used now as a national resource by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

As the designated Center for Information Technology Excellence for Washington’s community and technical colleges, Bellevue College has already developed an 18-credit, online certificate program to train dislocated IT workers for jobs in the healthcare industry. This curriculum is now being implemented by five Washington state community colleges (including Bellevue).

Earlier this year, Washington’s Health Care Authority selected Bellevue College, through a competitive process, to lead American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-related development and technical training of Washington’s health IT workforce.

The grant from HHS, part of a total $144 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds the department is disbursing, in its words, to “enlist the talent and resources of some of the nation’s leading universities, community colleges and major research centers to advance the widespread adoption and meaningful use of health IT.”

]]> http://www.coeforict.org/2010/04/1292/feed/ 2 Collaborations with State Colleges Move Computer Science Programs Ahead http://www.coeforict.org/2010/02/collaborations-with-state-colleges-moves-computer-science-programs-ahead/ http://www.coeforict.org/2010/02/collaborations-with-state-colleges-moves-computer-science-programs-ahead/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:52:30 +0000 Maureen http://www.coeforict.org/?p=1143 Big Bend Community College contracted with the Center of Excellence for Information and Technology from November 2009 through February 2010 to redesign its Computer Science program.  The Center created 36 master course outlines with 28 selected for the final degrees, detailed documentation for an internship process, a two-year academic calendar, software and hardware specifications for the new program, and facilitated a direct transfer agreement with Central Washington University.

“We will have a complete new computer science program on campus both a direct transfer and Associate of Applied Science degree options (for our students).  (The) goals were met.  (The) project was complete on time with great detail. Questions were asked regarding changes and they were implemented in the report.”

Clyde Rasmussen, Dean of Professional and Technical Programs

Request a scope of work proposal and quote today.

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