National Convergence Technology Center

09/29/2023

Big thanks to everyone who supported the National CTC's efforts all these years. Our work here is done, but our staff looks forward to helping the next national center (NITIC at Columbus State Community College) continue helping IT educators, programs, and students across the country.

09/28/2023

The National CTC grant ends this Saturday with the "Convergence College Network" IT educator community of practice reaching 100 member schools (89 community colleges, 10 four-year universities, 1 high school) across 32 states. This group met 62 times from 2012-2023 both in person and online to share resource and best practices. (Photo below is from the July 2023 meeting here at Collin College in Frisco, Texas.) Grant funds sent 103 CCN member faculty to 16 different national education conferences.

Learn more about what the CCN did and how they did it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHQ-jTjKD0Y

09/27/2023

Since 2018, the National CTC has posted a weekly tip/best practice for using the Business and Industry Leadership Team "BILT" model to help educators better engage employers and align curriculum to workforce needs.

In total, we have posted 200+ times using that tag across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, making 43,200+ impressions and earning almost 1000 engagements.

Learn more about the BILT here:

09/26/2023

At the CTC's final 3 (in person) Summer Working Connections, attendees signed our photo mats.

July 2012-July 2023 by the numbers: 37 Working Connections events (13 online, 1 hybrid), 88 topics, 2349 seats filled.

09/25/2023

The National CTC turns off the lights and locks the doors this Saturday. Big thank you to all of the colleges and businesses who supported these many years. Special appreciation to Collin College and the National Science Foundation's ATE program for making it all possible.

The National CTC grant comes to an end this weekend. What began as a series of regional grants in the 2000s led to a national Advanced Technological Education grant award by the NSF in 2012 (and a renewal in 2017). Through all those years, the National CTC – headquartered at Collin College in Nort...

09/20/2023

The new “Implementing the BILT Model of Business Engagement” PDF (37 pages) provides a step-by-step overview of how to successfully convene a Business and Industry Leadership Team (BILT). Sections include explaining the benefits of a BILT, recruiting employers to join a BILT, hosting the annual job skills vote meeting, and addressing common implementation challenges.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15slA0ro_6o1zvCb_2N39RcETIDsIEJAp/view?usp=sharing

09/18/2023

In our Monday blog... We've at last posted to our YouTube channel the four lunch presentations from July's Summer Working Connections.

The National Convergence Technology Center’s (CTC) annual Summer Working Connections event welcomes faculty from across the country for a deep dive into a specific IT track with the goal of immediately implementing what they’ve learned in the classroom. But aside from the usual 9am-5pm track lec...

09/14/2023

Now available from the National CTC: two FREE detailed “owner’s manual” PDFs providing step-by-step directions for “How to Plan and Deliver Successful Professional Development Events” (33 pages) and “Implementing the BILT Model of Business Engagement” (37 pages).

The National Convergence Technology Center (CTC) grant – funded by the National Science Foundation’s ATE (Advanced Technological Education) program – sunsets later this month. What began as a series of regional grants in the 2000s led to a national center award in 2012 and a national center re...

09/13/2023

Six new short "BILT Spotlight" videos feature testimonials from both educators and employers who explain the value of using the BILT model. It’s a good way to get a quick understanding of why so many programs and schools across the country are using the BILT Model.

tiny.cc/qd0bvz

* The Annual KSA Vote Meeting” (8m)
* “BILT versus Traditional Advisory Councils” (7m)
* “Managing and Nurturing BILT Members” (5m)
* “Providing Feedback to the BILT” (7m)
* “Recruiting BILT Members” (10m)
* “Trends Discussions with the BILT” (6m)

09/08/2023

Today's Friday video features an overview of the National CTC's 2019-21 pilot project that sought to determine whether applicants that go into a job interview with an e-portfolio of their work stand a better chance of getting hired than those without an e-portfolio.

The National CTC led a pilot program to determine whether applicants that go into a job interview with an e-portfolio of their work stand a better chance of ...

09/06/2023

Take a deep dive into essential strategies and best practices for maximizing your business council with our HITEC conference presentation "BILT for the Future."

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Log7Zz8ziV_CpLf73vY1OYboEavyyi0B/view?usp=sharing

09/05/2023

The “IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond” project – funded by a National Science Foundation grant – is hosting a FREE three-day, in-person workshop October 16-18 to teach attendees how to develop and leverage a future-facing set of skill standards for any technical discipline.

Are you looking to work with your local employers to update an existing technical program or create a new, cutting-edge technical program? Do you need help engaging with industry to get the feedback you need for your curriculum?

Learn more by reading our new blog post: https://connectedtech.org/blog/free-skill-standards-workshop-in-october/