The National Science Foundation (NSF) created the ATE Program to improve and expand educational programs for technicians to work in high-tech, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields that drive the U.S. economy. The program is Congressionally mandated and focuses on both the undergraduate and the secondary school levels.
The Role of Community Colleges in STEM
Community colleges are at the forefront of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education improvement in the U.S. and serve as a major source for technician education. As community-based institutions, they are uniquely positioned to provide workforce development and technician training in response to growing industry needs. By offering affordable and accessible entry points into higher education, community colleges represent a significant national pathway to meeting the growing and diverse needs of a global workforce critical to our nation’s competitiveness and future.
AACC Activities with NSF through the ATE Program
- AACC holds the annual ATE Principal Investigators Conference
- AACC sponsors the MentorLinks program to develop and strengthen training for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in undergraduate education
- AACC hosts the Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC), a national competition where community college student teams, working with a faculty or administrator mentor, use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems; participate in an innovation Boot Camp; and compete for case awards.
- AACC provides information and resources for community colleges currently involved in or seeking information about STEM fields