Education
SETWC conducts research and develops innovative educational programs for K-12-graduate students designed to increase awareness, interest, and competency in transportation-related topics. Check out some of our latest initiatives!
Transformative Technologies in Engineering
Supported by funding from the US Department of Labor, SETWC developed an Engineering Apprenticeship Program (EAP) and a new interdisciplinary course for upper-division undergraduates: Transformative Technologies in Engineering. The program has been instrumental in helping students develop essential professionalism skills, make career connections, and increase knowledge related to innovative technologies in the industry. !
Urban STEM Collaboratory
Since 2018, the SETWC-led Urban STEM Collaboratory has engaged faculty and 165 students at three urban campuses, University of Memphis, University of Colorado Denver, and Indiana University Purdue University, in a National Science Foundation S-STEM project involving collaborative research and activities designed to support engineering student success. The research focus is on understanding factors that support students in development of STEM identity and sense of community. Effective interventions were implemented in combination with financial support. The interventions include peer mentoring, a summer bridge program, the CN academic networking platform, academic year workshops, learning communities, the STEM Ambassador program, and Peer-Led Team-Learning, and were refined across the project period to address a variety of challenges.
T-STEM Academy at East High School
The Southeast Transportation Workforce Center (SETWC) was instrumental in launching and continues supporting a Transportation- STEM (T-STEM) focused blueprint through an exemplar high school in the Memphis area as one of the priority action items identified in the SETWC strategic plan. The vision is that this school and its collaborative partnerships will become a local, regional, and national example for preparing students for STEM careers, with particular focus on the transportation industry. The T-STEM model will serve as a platform for truly transformational educational experiences for students that prepare them to be successful in post-secondary career and educational endeavors.
One recent success with the T-STEM Academy is a fantastic partnership with Cummins, Inc. who, through their Technical Education for Communities Program, supported the development of a diesel technology lab!
Click to see for yourself what this investment means to the students at T-STEM, as interviewed by WMC-TV!!
Click to see GOODworks: Cummins TEC Program at East T-STEM Academy by cityCURRENT.
Earlier press:
, Memphis Business Journal, 1/2/18.
Commercial Appeal, 1/4/18.
., Business Wire, 1/4/18.
Resources
For Teachers
Agenda, lesson plans, and resources developed by SETWC staff for the week-long summer Transportation Academy for high school students.
- Agenda for 2016
- 2017 (2016 program repeated as Frosh Camp - files same as for 2016)
- 2018 Summer Transportation Academy
- Frosh Camp - files same as for 2016
- Level 2 Camp
- 2019 Summer Transportation Academy
- Frosh Camp - files same as for 2016
- Level 2 Camp
Engaging transportation activities for middle and high school students, all tied to STEM content and concepts!
Central clearinghouse on resources for instruction and assessment for employability skills
Fact sheet and full report examining six subsectors in transportation including: trucking, highway construction and maintenance, transit and ground passenger transportation, rail, air, and maritime transportation
Collaboratively developed competency model highlighting personal, academic, workplace, industry, and sector competencies necessary for success in TDL careers
Collaboratively developed competency model highlighting personal, academic, workplace, industry, and sector competencies necessary for success in highway civil construction careers
Resources developed through Career Clusters partnership between US Department of Transportation and National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education, including transportation careers modules, fully tested problem-based scenarios, and other materials to support integration of transportation topics in the classroom
Standards-based lesson plans integrating science, technology, engineering, and math content in hands-on, problem-based format set within a transportation context
Web resource containing career information, curriculum, articles, and comics related to transportation
For Students
Comprehensive, interactive web resource containing transportation career profiles, video interviews of transportation professionals, career exploration newsletter, and transportation-related scholarship and internship opportunities
Resources highlighting FHWA careers, the online application process, and internship programs
Student Employment Initiative resources including internships, volunteer opportunities, descriptions of jobs by college major, and tips for getting prepared for a career with US DOT
Career resources including job categories, detailed work descriptions, and required skills, knowledge, education, and/or certifications for transportation career cluster occupations with links to job openings, apprenticeships, and training programs
Transportation fact sheets and professional profiles (STEM Spotlights) highlighting transportation career opportunities