A Case Study of a Project Course Developed to Close Competency Gaps in an Industrial Technology Program

The goal of the university is to produce quality graduates. Specifically, industrial technology programs are designed to prepare technical and/or technical management-oriented professionals for the work environment. This paper describes the creation, implementation, and employer perception of a project course developed to close identified competency gaps of graduates of an industrial technology program. The competency gaps identified included professionalism, quality of work, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. In addition to closing the identified competency gaps, the course provided outcomes that adhered to both the National Association Industrial Technology and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology ABET accreditation standards. Of the 224 industry representatives who filled out an evaluation instrument on student projects, the representatives rated those students as very high to high achievement in the identified competencies. This course appears to have closed the identified competency gaps. Furthermore, students learned to prioritize, adapt, manage conflict and prepare for industry demands. Overall, industry representatives were satisfied with the outcomes of the projects and felt that students demonstrated success in the competencies evaluated. Introduction Quality is an important aspect of any industrial technology program. Selingo and Hoover (2004) reported that most Americans are confident that higher education is providing students with quality learning. Although the average American may be confident in higher education, industry employers are not. Industry employers need technology graduates who can solve difficult problems, but Holter and Kopka (2001) reported that employers felt that college graduates had competency gaps in some essential skills needed to enter the workforce. Developing a quality education for industrial technology aimed at closing competency gaps is a problem that educators should tackle. One way the university can meet these visions of quality and address the problem of competency gaps is to let students gain real-world experiences before graduating so they can apply their theoretical knowledge. In addition, real-world experiences allow students to test their ability to perform in a supportive experiential learning environment. Industrial technology educators are not strangers to experiential learning. The use of machinery, materials, and various labs to teach manufacturing and technical concepts is the norm. Internships, plant tours, and mentoring are the typical ways of exposing students to these learning experiences. While projects and labs in the classroom provide valuable experiences, projects performed in industry permit the students to apply the technical and managerial coursework learned in the classroom to current industry problems where they can receive both academic and practical feedback. The purpose of this study was to describe the creation, implementation, and employer percepDr. Sophia Scott is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology at Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Scott received her Ph.D. in Technology Management from Indiana State University. She teaches courses in technical communication, supervision and project management. Her research interests include high performance teams, leadership, ethics, experiential learning and project management. Dr. Greg Boyd is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology at Southeast Missouri State University. His primary teaching responsibilities include Industrial Safety, Plastics Processes, and Materials Testing. Prior to teaching, he spent 20 years in industry in positions ranging from Materials Engineering to Director of Research and Development.