Funds available for collaborative career development activities
In most companies, the training and professional development of technicians are left primarily to human resources. Consequently, the researchers and managers who work with them may not realize how much they can do to strengthen the technician workforce.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that between 2004 and 2014, approximately 171,000 technicians, operators, and similar chemical professionals will be hired. At the same time, industry is predicted to have fewer resources available for educating and developing all employees.
Recognizing that the education and professional development of chemical technicians will require collaboration among industry, academia, and professional societies, BGMT joined with several other ACS units to sponsor the Equipping the 2015 Chemical Technology Workforce Presidential Event at the 232nd ACS National Meeting. Now, the task force behind the event is offering mini-grants to support collaborative efforts in technician education and career development.
A first round of mini-grants was awarded in Spring 2007 to small groups of educators and industry representatives. The winners are collaborating on such activities as chemical technology career fairs for high school students, discussion panels on employability skills for technicians, and technical programming at regional and national meetings on the vital role technicians play in the chemical enterprise.
BGMT members are encouraged to work with educators and ACS local section representatives to develop technician education and/or professional development activities. Activities should be collaborative, take place in the Fall 2007 to Spring 2008 time frame, and address one or more of the Equipping the 2015 Chemical Technology Workforce goals:
1) Raise awareness of the changing needs of chemical technicians
2) Highlight opportunities for industry, academia, professional societies, and the community to collaborate on meeting those needs
3) Increase involvement of technicians in the American Chemical Society
The deadline for proposals is 26 September 2007.
For activity ideas and resources, Presidential Event summaries, and more information on the mini-grants, please go to www.ChemTechLinks.org, and click on “Equipping the 2015 Chemical Technology Workforce,” or email ChemTechLinks@acs.org.
Click here to go directly to Equipping the 2015 Chemical Technology Workforce website.
Missed the deadline? You can still use the above link for current mini-grants.
