MPICT | Mid-Pacific Information and Communication Technologies Center

MPICT Improves Teaching & Curricula; Influences Funding Across California

One in four community college students in the US attends a California community college. The California Community College system is the largest higher education system in America. Its 112 public two-year colleges have more than 660,000 enrollments in ICT-related courses taught by 5,700 faculty annually.

MPICT initiatives have led the California Community Colleges to name and select ICT/Digital Media as the second highest strategic sector priority in the state and commit at least $3.5 million in annual support to ICT education improvements. ICT strategic sectors have also been designated by California’s K-12 system, and the California public workforce system. These two enormous systems, also the largest in the US, are working to align their programs with community college ICT education to improve career pathways for thousands of students.

Since 2008, more than 900 faculty have attended MPICT professional development events that have positively impacted their teaching of more than 100,000 students annually.

MPICT Data Analysis Influences State & Federal Policies

The California Employment Development Department adapted MPICT methodology to report labor market information for ICT as a sector, identifying for the first time that ICT is the largest employment sector opportunity in the San Francisco Bay region.

This and other MPICT efforts have led the California State Workforce Investment Board to recognize the strategic importance of ICT, and to create the ICT/Digital Media strategic sector for the workforce system, consistent with California Community Colleges. All 49 local California workforce investment boards have voted some level of strategic support for the ICT sector and have shown interest in aligning with community colleges.

MPICT’s collaboration with the US Department of Labor on refreshing its IT Competency Model involved gathering input from representatives of 782 California employers to provide statistically significant input on ICT workforce foundational competency needs.

MPICT Annual Winter Conference Connects ICT Educators & Employers

Representatives from 82 industry and employer organizations have attended MPICT’s Winter ICT Educator Conferences since 2008 to help ICT educators improve the development of the ICT workforce. MPICT co-produces these annual events with eight other NSF ATE centers.

MPICT’s policy work and faculty professional development programs have contributed to thousands of students obtaining valuable, employer-recognized ICT industry certifications.