Partners In Recruitment And Retention

In the past, recruitment was often left to admissions offices and attrition was an accepted aspect of technical curricula. However, due to the dwindling or perhaps stable but low enrollment in technical fields nationwide, new attitudes towards these issues are necessary. In the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York State, the Technology Career Paths – Hudson Valley partnership was created for the recruitment and retention of students in the community college programs that lead to jobs in high technology industries. These industries, both in the Hudson Valley of New York State and around the world, are realizing the importance of their technical workforce to their success while recognizing the dwindling population graduating from high schools and colleges with the necessary preparation for succeeding in these technical careers. The academic credential local industries are looking for is a two-year applied science degree in an appropriate Engineering Technology field. This article describes the development of the industry/education partnership and the benefits attained in terms of recruitment and retention.