Reviving Technical Currency Of Engineering Technology Faculty

Engineering Technology faculty development is a continuous challenge. Enrichment of faculty through real-life industrial experience provides the opportunity for continuous improvement of technology faculty technical currency. In the summer of 2000, one of the mechanical engineering technology faculty worked with local industry to revive technical skills, learn new skills, observe project management skills, and bring new learned skills into the classroom. He participated as a team member of the company in the startup process of a truck assembly production line. This summer opportunity provided first-hand experience for the faculty member to work in teams with project managers, engineers, technologists, and technicians of different companies. The authors will share their observations and mutual benefits of this partnership and how it has impacted faculty, the college, and industry in several ways. The paper concludes with some suggestions from authors to tie the internship with curriculum development. What is Technical Currency and why the need for Revival? Technical currency similar to professional development covers a wide range of options for updating and developing the skills of faculty. Lack of technical currency is a major impediment to the engineering technology profession’s efforts to produce a skilled work force. Technical currency of engineering technology faculty is important and must be assured by providing opportunities for professional development. Effective procedures must be established and assessed to support and maintain empowered faculty in terms of their knowledge base, skills base, and teaching for transfer. Formal and informal efforts are in place in many educational institutions since their inception. Professional development includes developing skills of faculty beyond the classroom, including conferences, workshops, continuing education, on-job training, industrial internships, and consulting. Faculty value the opportunities to maintain their knowledge and technical skills at their highest and most up-to-date level. Technical currency loss may occur when faculty discontinue participation in industrial internships or consulting for a period of years in their profession. In today’s ever