SHAPING THE FUTURE OFVACUUM TECHNOLOGY

EDUCATION2020-2021 Virtual Workshops

Bob BaileyOutcomes Consulting Services

June 30, 2021

This material is based upon work supported by the NationalScience Foundation under Grant #1700624. Any opinions,

findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed inthis material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily

reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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ContentsAcknowledgements....................................................................................................................................... 2Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 2Overview .......................................................................................................................................................4

Purpose .....................................................................................................................................................4Workshop Attendees ................................................................................................................................4Workshop Objectives:...............................................................................................................................5

List of Sessions ..............................................................................................................................................6Workshop #1 – Overview and Introduction (September 24, 2020) .........................................................6Workshop #2 – Gap Analysis Summary (October 30, 2020)..................................................................... 6Workshop #3 – Industry Panel and Perspective (December 11, 2020) ....................................................7Workshop #4 – Student Panel (January 29, 2021)....................................................................................7Workshop #5 – Synthesis and Solutions (March 26, 2021) ...................................................................... 7

General Response to Workshops from Participants.....................................................................................7Summary of Workshop Outcomes................................................................................................................9Summary of Key Lessons Learned and Recommendations ........................................................................15Appendices..................................................................................................................................................17

Appendix A – Workshop Participants .....................................................................................................17Appendix B – Gap Analysis Worksheet Assignment and Summary ........................................................18Appendix C – Issue Tree..........................................................................................................................36Appendix D – Student Panel Summary ...................................................................................................41Appendix E – Solution Tree Breakout and Results..................................................................................42

List of FiguresFigure 1 - Student Panel Workshop ..............................................................................................................3Figure 2 - Schedule of Workshops ................................................................................................................4Figure 3 - Workshop Objectives....................................................................................................................5Figure 4 - Demonstrating NCC's Telepresence Lab .......................................................................................6Figure 5 - Overall Rating of Workshops (n=36).............................................................................................7Figure 6 - Perception of Length of Workshops (n=36)..................................................................................8Figure 7 – Did the Workshops Meet Expectations? (n=36) ......................................................................... 9Figure 8 - Opportunities and Needs (See Appendix B) ...............................................................................10Figure 9 - Example of an Issue Tree (https://untools.co/issue-trees) ........................................................10Figure 10 - Solution Tree - Lack of Qualified Candidates to Hire ................................................................12Figure 11 - Solution Tree - Constraints on Incumbent Workers .................................................................13Figure 12 - Solution Tree: Curriculum Gaps ................................................................................................14Figure 13 - Solution Tree: Low Enrollments................................................................................................14

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AcknowledgementsThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #1700624.Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of theauthor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

The workshops discussed in this report were the result of significant effort and collaboration amongmany partners.

The Normandale Community College DELIVER project team, faculty and administration includingNancy Louwagie (PI), Dr. Ruth Robinson (co-PI), Tom Johnson (co-PI), John Lasswell, Dr. AngelaFoudray, Steve Osell, Cary Komoto, Cindy Zoul, Angie Arnold, Kim Klein, and Joyce Ester

Workshop organizers included Sarah Holsted (Communications Specialist for DELIVER) and BobBailey of Outcomes Consulting Services (External Evaluator for DELIVER)

The Society of Vacuum Coaters provided significant input on the vacuum technology industrysector perspective (Frank Zimone, Scott Walton and Wilmert de Bosscher)

Industry representatives participating in the industry panel in workshop #3: (John Albachten(Seagate), Mike Diedrich (Cardinal Glass), Randy Pico (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory(LLNL))

Normandale Community College students participating in the student panel in workshop #4:Anthony Lopez (Cardinal Glass), Patrick Perez (LLNL), Antonio Correa-Barrios (LLNL), JesseSietsema (Seagate), Phuong Phan (Seagate), Zachery Bailey (Seagate)

Executive SummaryAs part of the NSF-ATE DELIVER (Distance Education and Learning in Vacuum Technology) project,Normandale Community College (NCC) hosted a series of five virtual workshops between September2020 and March 2021 that focused on shaping the future of vacuum technology education and training.

Workshop participants included key stakeholders from related industry professional societies, industrypartners, higher education, vacuum technology faculty from two-year institutions, former students ofthe Vacuum Technology Program, and the National Science Foundation. The goal was for participants togain a deeper understanding of existing education opportunities in vacuum technology and to describetheir role in shaping the programs within industry and higher education that are driving workforcedevelopment in vacuum technology.

These workshops sought to

1) Increase understanding of the current state of vacuum technology education in the U.S.2) Anticipate and plan for enrollment trends among different market segments:3) Support the evaluation process of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) DELIVER project

The key outcomes from the workshop series are discussed in detail beginning on page 9 and include:

1) A high-level strategic analysis that identified five programmatic categories for furtherinvestigation by workshop organizers and participants

2) A problem map that explores the underlying issues for these identified gaps in vacuumtechnology education

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3) Industry panel providing their perspective on the state of vacuum technology education4) Student panel providing their perspective on the state of vacuum technology education (Figure

1)5) A Solutions Tree that provides a list

of possible initiatives to address theidentified gaps in vacuumtechnology education

6) Background documents andrecordings for all of the virtualworkshops

Figure 1 - Student Panel Workshop

The Solution Tree results identified potential initiatives that could further shape the future of vacuumtechnology education. A list of these initiatives includes:

• Create a "community" of community colleges and industry for vacuum technology• Industry actively partners with community colleges on recruiting prospective students into

the program• Increase work-based learning opportunities for students• Directly brand programs with specific industry partners• Develop a common open database of potential candidates for industry jobs• Develop targeted micro-credentials to grow the workforce pool faster• Develop and promote clear career pathways• Develop more Hy-flex delivery models• Develop more remote hands-on trainers and tools• Develop vacuum technology simulators• Breakdown courses into smaller units of content• Strengthen industry advisory groups• Engage recent alumni in program reviews• Fill in gaps with micro-credentials/courses• Develop industry skill standards and assessment tools• Develop strategies to target high school students

• offer dual enrollment• conduct teacher & counselor workshops• offer industry tours

• Develop strategies to target incumbent workers• strengthen industry partnerships• outreach to supervisors and managers

• Expand general marketing and outreach• develop stronger on-line presence• promote career pathways• utilization of scholarship funds• designated responsibility

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OverviewPurposeSince 1997-98 Normandale Community College (NCC), in Bloomington, MN, has offered programmingand credentialing in vacuum technology for the advanced manufacturing industries in the Twin Citiesarea. In 2014, Normandale received a grant from the National Science Foundation (Project ReVAMP, NSFDUE #1400408) to update course content and assemble the infrastructure (telepresence classroom;Vacuum Equipment Trainer (VET) systems) to deliver hands-on vacuum technology education in realtime across the country. Normandale continued this work with Project DELIVER (NSF DUE #1700624)while scaling up the number of business and academic partners who enroll their employees as studentsin Normandale’s vacuum technology classes.

As part of the DELIVER project, NCC hosted a series of five virtual workshops between September 2020and March 2021 (see figure 2) focused on shaping the future of vacuum technology education andtraining.

Figure 2 - Schedule of Workshops

This virtual workshop series, originally planned as a one-and-a-half day in-person meeting, was designedto provide an opportunity to examine the environment for vacuum technology education in the U.S. andto develop a framework to ensure that there is capacity to educate a national workforce capable ofparticipating in advanced manufacturing and vacuum-reliant businesses in the future.

Workshop AttendeesWorkshop participants included key stakeholders from related industry professional societies, industrypartners, higher education, vacuum technology faculty from two-year institutions, former students ofthe Vacuum Technology Program, and the National Science Foundation. The goal was for participants to

September 24,2020 -Introduction

October 30,2020 - GapAnalysis

December 11,2020 -IndustryPerspective

January 29,2021 -StudentPerspective

March 26,2021 -Synthesis andSolutions

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gain a deeper understanding of existing education opportunities in vacuum technology and to describetheir role in shaping the programs within industry and higher education that are driving workforcedevelopment in vacuum technology. A list of workshop presenters and attendees is included inAppendix A.

Workshop Objectives:The workshop series objectives were created to generate information in the categories of past, presentand future as described in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3 - Workshop Objectives

These workshops sought to

1) Increase understanding of the current state of vacuum technology education in the U.S. byidentifying:

a. credential requirements of the workforce,b. issues related to recruitment of instructors from industry, andc. critical gaps which inhibit effective delivery of education and training in vacuum

technology, andd. potential plans that address these issues

2) Anticipate and plan for enrollment trends among different market segments:a. Career Starters - Recent high school graduates entering workforceb. Career Advancers - Mid-career professionals seeking promotion or raisec. Career Changers - Mid-career adults seeking to move into new fieldsd. Career Crossovers - Mid-career professionals seeking to advance in their current fields

3) Support the evaluation process of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) DELIVER project

Past

•Provide historyand context

•Overview ofREVAMP andDELIVER Projectsat Normandale

• List results todate

•List the impact todate

Present

•Map the currentstate of vacuumtechnology in theU.S.•Identification ofgaps

•Industryperspective

•Studentperspective

•Demonstrationsof currentpractice

Future

•Plan for growingand sustaining theprogram•Identification ofopportunitiesand needs

•Identification ofsectors

•Brainstormsolutions

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List of SessionsThe series consisted of five joint workshop sessions and three independent work assignments betweensessions. The topics covered in each workshop session are summarized here and on the Normandaleworkshop series website1.

Workshop #1 – Overview and Introduction (September 24, 2020)This session provided context and background for the purpose of all of the planned sessions andincluded:

Overview of the workshop objectives, process and individual sessions Overview of NSF ReVAMP and DELIVER projects Introduction to gap analysis process and review of independent work assignment (Appendix B) Demonstration of Normandale Community College’s telepresence classroom (Figure 4) Overview of Normandale’s “Foundations of Vacuum Science” course (VACT 1010)

Figure 4 - Demonstrating NCC's Telepresence Lab

Workshop #2 – Gap Analysis Summary (October 30, 2020)This session provided an opportunity to hear the perspective from a professional organization with amembership focused on vacuum system applications. The session included:

Presentation from the Society of Vacuum Coaters on the state of the vacuum technologyeducation from an industry perspective

Review of the compiled gap analysis worksheets from workshop #1 Breakout session to develop an issue tree using the gap analysis results (Appendix C) Overview of Normandale’s “Introduction to Vacuum Technology” course (VACT 1292) with a

presentation and demonstration of the NCC Rough Vacuum Equipment Trainer (RVET) system

1 https://www.normandale.edu/departments/stem-and-education/vacuum-and-thin-film-technology/shaping-the-future-of-vacuum-technology-education

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Workshop #3 – Industry Panel and Perspective (December 11, 2020)This session provided an opportunity to hear industry and research organization perspectives from threemanagers who have recommended Normandale’s Vacuum Technology courses to employees. Itconsisted of:

Industry and research organization panel on vacuum technology education followed by Q&A Review summary of the findings from an industry survey on vacuum technology education and

training2

Overview of Normandale’s “Thin Film Deposition” course (VACT 2297) with a demonstration ofNCC’s remotely operated thin film deposition system

Workshop #4 – Student Panel (January 29, 2021)This session provided an opportunity to hear the student perspective on vacuum technology educationexperience. It consisted of:

A student panel with Q&A (summarized in Appendix D) Overview of NCC’s “Vacuum Analysis and Troubleshooting” course (VACT 2293)

Workshop #5 – Synthesis and Solutions (March 26, 2021)The final session reviewed all of the findings from the previous sessions. Participants spent time in smallgroup breakout sessions discussing the findings and identifying some possible solutions in order todevelop a Solution Tree (Appendix E).

General Response to Workshops from ParticipantsIn general, the response to the workshop series from participants was very positive.

Figure 5 - Overall Rating of Workshops (n=36)

2 “Vacuum Technology Education Industry Survey Summary”, Normandale Community College, July 2020

42% 33%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

Overall Rating of Workshop Series

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A summary of the participant assessments includes:

75% of the participants rated the workshops as “very good” or “excellent” (Figure 5) The workshops did a better job of providing information about the past (95% met or exceeded

expectations) than meeting expectations for future plans (78% met or exceeded expectations –figure 7)

The one comment that occurred morethan any other was that the breakoutdiscussion sections of the workshopwere too short. Some examples areprovided in the box to the right. 62%of the participant comments wereabout a desire for more time allocatedto discussing the issues and exploringsolutions in small groups.

Figure 6 - Perception of Length of Workshops (n=36)

About right92%

Too short5%

Much too short3%

92% Of The Participants Said The Length Of TheWorkshops Was “about right”

Participant Comments (Examples)

“breakout sessions need to be at least 10minutes longer than they have been”

“It was very good workshop. Maybe more timeduring breakout sessions would be helpful.”

“breakout sessions need to be at least 10minutes longer than they have been”

“A little bit more time in a breakout room. Wedefinitely could use another 5 minutes. Afterthe introductions, it was not much time left foractual discussion.”

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Figure 7 – Did the Workshops Meet Expectations? (n=36)

Summary of Workshop OutcomesResults of the workshop series are documented on Normandale’s workshop series web site3 and include:

1) A high-level strategic analysis that identified five programmatic categories for furtherinvestigation by workshop organizers and participants (figure 8):

a. Opportunities: Explore initiatives such as establishing new strategic partnershipsbetween stakeholders invested in vacuum technology education (two-/four-yearacademic institutions; professional societies; research and industry organizations); andidentify target markets or audiences for careers in vacuum technology

b. Knowledge gaps and synergies: Identify knowledge gaps in existing education curriculum(from Normandale) or training topics (from professional societies or industry) and alsoidentify the potential synergies or content pathways between organizations that provideeducation and training opportunities.

c. Resources: Identify the broad range of needs and interdependencies that impact thedelivery of vacuum technology education such as funding, program advocacy, recruitingand on-boarding new instructors, content delivery methods / platforms, lab experienceswith both academic and workforce-ready outcomes, equipment, materials and supplies,procurement, technical and administrative support staff, and promoting andmaintaining workforce-related relationships and partnerships.

d. Programs: Identify the processes and partnerships that would maintain or grow avacuum technology education program at different types of organizations (academic;non-profit) such as marketing, onboarding, developing new credentials.

e. Low enrollments: Identify the challenges and solutions to achieving sufficientenrollment levels to sustain the Vacuum Technology program at Normandale.

3 https://www.normandale.edu/departments/stem-and-education/vacuum-and-thin-film-technology/shaping-the-future-of-vacuum-technology-education

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Past

Present

Future

Overall

Over 80% Of Participants Said The WorkshopsMet Or Exceeded Expectations.

Did not meet Below Met Exceeded

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Figure 8 - Opportunities and Needs (See Appendix B)

2) A problem map in the form of an Issue Tree. The list of programmatic gaps developed in thefirst workshop was used to create an issue tree to provide a clear and systematic way of lookingat a problem or set of problems. They help break down big problems into smaller, moremanageable problems, and they help prioritize certain parts of the problem. An example of anissue tree is illustrated in figure 9 below.

Figure 9 - Example of an Issue Tree (https://untools.co/issue-trees)

During workshop #2 the participants developed an issue tree for vacuum technology educationthat was further refined after several group reviews. The summary result can be found inAppendix C.

3) Industry Perspective Report – As part of the DELIVER Project, Normandale Community Collegecollaborated with the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) to develop and administer a survey oforganizations that employ vacuum technicians. The survey addressed questions related to the

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current state of educational programs for this technology. The survey was distributed inFebruary 2020 to Normandale's Vacuum Technology Program Advisory Group and SVCmembers. This industry survey report4 summarizes the results of responses (n=84) receivedbetween February 2020 and June 2020. The report was reviewed and refined as part of theworkshop #3 discussions.

4) Student Perspective Panel – A panel of former vacuum technology students who currently workin the field was convened in workshop #4. This panel provided a student’s perception on fourmain questions:

a. What was the student’s motivation to enroll and persist in the program?b. What job and career benefits did the students receive from the program?c. What were the best parts of the program?d. What type of person could benefit from a program like this?

The recording of the panel is available on the NCC workshop website5 and a summary of theresults is included as Appendix D.

The outcomes described in items 1) through 4) above provided the basis for a final brainstormingsession during workshop #5 to identify and flesh out possible solutions and strategies.

5) Solutions Tree - Earlier in this series, an assignment from Workshop #2 led to the creation of an“issue tree” for vacuum technology education (see Appendix C). To develop the issue tree, weasked “why”; or why does that situation occur? That assignment identified five main issues:

1. Lack of qualified candidates to hire or enroll into a vacuum technology program2. Scheduling/delivery constraints on training due to work schedules3. Gaps in existing curriculum programs4. Low enrollments in vacuum technology programs5. Resources needed by community colleges/technical schools to provide on-going support for a

technical program like vacuum technology

The response to an issue tree is a solution tree. To create the solution tree, we looked at the fiveissues and asked “how;” or how can we address these issues identified? The outcomes of thissession were the following solution trees for issues 1 through 4. Issue 5 (resource needs) wasconsidered to be a common issue for each of the other four and therefore was included in thediscussion for each.

4 “Vacuum Technology Education Industry Survey Summary”, Normandale Community College, July 20205 https://www.normandale.edu/departments/stem-and-education/vacuum-and-thin-film-technology/shaping-the-future-of-vacuum-technology-education

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Figure 10 - Solution Tree - Lack of Qualified Candidates to Hire

Figure 10 above summarizes the results of the discussion about the issue of the lack of qualifiedcandidates to hire. This issue is defined as the challenges industry have in simply finding enoughcandidates with the necessary skill set needed to fill industry’s hiring needs. Some of the solutionsidentified include:

Creating a more formal community or network of community colleges and industries around keytechnology sectors to explore collaborative solutions

Create more work-based learning opportunities such as mentoring, internships andapprenticeships to introduce and engage students

Identify and brand certain educational and training programs with industry partners as a way topromote career opportunities in the field

Create partnerships between community colleges and industry to develop and share a databaseof available jobs and potential candidates

Develop and offer micro-credentials as a way to get students into the career field faster Develop and promote clear career pathways to students as a way to better promote the job

opportunities and where they could lead

Lack of QualifiedCandidates to Hire

Create a "community" of communitycolleges and industry for vacuum

technology

Industry actively partners withcommunity colleges on recruiting

Increase work based learningopportunities

Directly brand programs with specificindustry partners

Develop common open database ofpotential candidates

Develop targeted micro-credentialsto grow the pool faster

Develop and promote clear careerpathways

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Figure 11 - Solution Tree - Constraints on Incumbent Workers

Figure 11 above summarizes the results of the discussion about the issue of scheduling and deliveryconstraints on incumbent workers. This issue is defined as the challenges incumbent workers have infinding and engaging in educational and training programs to increase their skills while maintaining theirfull-time job responsibilities and their personal life. Some of the solutions identified include:

Developing more “Hy-flex” delivery models similar to those developed and offered under theDELIVER project. Hy-flex (hybrid-flexible) courses provide an effective method to serveclassroom-based students and online students in the same course with the same instructor. Hy-flex courses usually provide students with the choice of attending scheduled classroommeetings or online meetings (asynchronous and/or synchronous) on a regular basis, allowingstudent choice in participation mode and preparing institutions for instructional continuity ifclassroom access is not possible. Well-designed Hy-flex courses can provide a rich learningenvironment that improves and enhances the class experience for all students, whether onlineor in the classroom.6

Develop more remote hands-on trainers that allow student to gain hands-on technicalexperience while still benefiting from the flexibility of distributed and on-line learning options

Develop simulators that also allow student to gain hands-on technical experience while stillbenefiting from the flexibility of distributed and on-line learning options

Breakdown traditional three-credit courses into smaller units of content that allow students togain the required knowledge, skills and abilities in smaller, easier to digest components

6 https://events.educause.edu/courses/2021/designing-hybrid-flexible-hyflex-courses-to-support-multimodal-learning-environments-2

Scheduling/DeliveryConstraints on

Incumbent Workers

Develop more Hy-flexdelivery models

Develop more remotehands-on trainers and tools

Develop vacuum technologysimulators

Breakdown courses intosmaller units of content

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Figure 12 - Solution Tree: Curriculum Gaps

Figure 12 above summarizes the results of the discussion about the challenge of identifying and fillinggaps in existing educational programs or developing content to meet new or emerging needs ofindustry. Rapid changes in technology can often create the need to modify or change existing programsto keep current with standard industry practice. Some of the solutions identified include:

Strengthening industry advisory groups by expanding the number and type of representativesinvolved and by engaging these groups more often.

Developing a process for staying in touch with program graduates and engaging them inreviewing their educational experience against job requirements

Develop and offer micro credentials and short courses to meet emerging needs Develop industry approved skill standards and assessment tools that can be used by education

providers to benchmark their curricula and to assess student skill development.

Figure 13 - Solution Tree: Low Enrollments

Gaps in ExistingCurriculum

Strengthen industryadvisory groups

Engage recent alumni inprogram reviews

Fill in gaps with micro-credentials/courses

Develop industry skillstandards and assessment

tools

Low Enrollmentsin Vacuum Tech

Programs

Strategies totarget high

school students

Strategies totarget

incumbentworkers

Generalmarketing and

outreach

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Figure 13 above summarizes the results of the discussion about the challenge that community collegesface with low enrollments for technical programs. Technical programs like vacuum technology have ahigh capital cost due to the need for expensive lab equipment while also needing lower class sizes toensure adequate instruction on equipment while maintaining laboratory safety. The result can be aconstant tension between the need to manage institutional costs while still meeting industry needs.Some of the solutions identified include:

Develop outreach strategies to high school students such aso Offering dual enrollment opportunities in technical programso Conducting workshops for high school teachers and counselor to improve their ability to

offer guidance to high school student on higher education optionso Offer industry tours and workshops to expose high school students to career

opportunities in technical fields Develop outreach strategies to incumbent workers such as

o Strengthening partnerships between community colleges and industry to improvecommunication of opportunities

o Outreach to technical supervisors and managers to help them identify and meetprofessional development needs for employees

Develop general marketing and outreach strategies such aso Designating a position within the institution to promote technical programso Develop a stronger on-line marketing presenceo Promoting clear career pathways for technical fieldso Develop and utilize scholarship funds to encourage students to enroll in technical

programs

Summary of Key Lessons Learned and Recommendations1) The COVID pandemic necessitated a change from the original one-and-a-half day workshop to a

series of multiple virtual sessions. This revised format resulted in some insightso Pros – better engagement on shorter one-and-a-half hour sessions, no fatigue from non-

stop one-and-a-half day session, more time to reflect on session results and conductanalysis between sessions, allowed improved adjustments to next sessions

o Cons – The discussion time allocated in each session was not long enough for the scopeand complexities of the topics addressed

2) The comments from participants about the desire for more time in the breakout sessionsprovides a lesson for other similar workshops. Whenever stakeholders are gathered for programplanning and analysis, a priority should be placed on giving them sufficient time to engage withthe issues.

3) There was a broad reach of workshop participants among higher education, manufacturing,coating and research & development organizations. This provided valuable diversity to thefeedback received.

4) These workshops further strengthened the partnership between NCC and SVC in areas ofprogram improvements and opportunities to offer short courses.

5) The student panel results (Appendix D) provided an excellent summary of why students enrolland persist in technician education programs, along with the benefits they received from being

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in the program. These results are applicable to other similar technician programs and could beapplied in other programs as well as the vacuum technology program at NCC.

6) The results of the industry panel (Workshop #3), the student panel (Workshop #4) and the issuetree (Appendix C) and solution trees (Appendix E) all provide valuable information to collegeadministrators for all technician education programs.

7) This workshop report, along with the industry survey report, should be widely shared. Most ofthe findings are applicable to all technical education programs, not just vacuum technology.

8) This report should be provided to all participants in the five workshops.9) This workshop series helped address one of the specific evaluation questions from the ATE

DELIVER project: What is the state of vacuum technology education in the United States?10) The solution tree exercise and results (Appendix E) identified multiple future potential

initiatives. A list of these initiatives includes:• Create a "community" of community colleges and industry for vacuum technology• Industry actively partners with community colleges on recruiting• Increase work-based learning opportunities• Directly brand technology programs with specific industry partners• Develop common open database of potential candidates• Develop targeted micro-credentials to grow the pool faster• Develop and promote clear career pathways• Develop more Hy-flex delivery models• Develop more remote hands-on trainers and tools• Develop vacuum technology simulators• Breakdown courses into smaller units of content• Strengthen industry advisory groups• Engage recent alumni in program reviews• Fill in gaps with micro-credentials/courses• Develop industry skill standards and assessment tools• Develop strategies to target high school students

• offer dual enrollment• conduct teacher & counselor workshops• offer industry tours

• Develop strategies to target incumbent workers• strengthen industry partnerships• outreach to supervisors and managers

• Develop general marketing and outreach strategies• develop stronger on-line presence• promote career pathways• utilization of scholarship funds• designated responsibility

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AppendicesAppendix A – Workshop ParticipantsNormandale Community College: Nancy Louwagie (Chair, Engineering Technology Programs), Dr. RuthRobinson (faculty in Chemistry), Tom Johnson (faculty in Vacuum Technology), John Lasswell (faculty inVacuum Technology), Dr. Angela Foudray (faculty in Engineering and Physics), Steve Osell (VacuumTechnology Lab Assistant), Dr. Cary Komoto (Dean, Division of Science, Technology, Engineering, andMathematics), Cindy Zoul (Grants Management Specialist), Angie Arnold (Director of Grants andSponsored Projects), Dr. Joyce Ester (President), Dr. Kimberly Klein (Vacuum Technology ProgramStudent Liaison)

Society of Vacuum Coaters: Dr. Scott Walton (Education Director of Education), Frank Zimone (ExecutiveDirector), Dr. Wilmert de Bosscher (Education Committee)

Seagate Technologies (Bloomington, MN): John Albachten (Senior Engineering Services Manager), JesseSietsema (Engineering Specialist), Phuong Phan (Engineering Technician), Zachery Bailey (EquipmentTechnician)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA): John Chesser (Sr. Mechanical Technologist),Randy Pico (Engineering Directorate Senior Superintendent), Patrick Perez (Engineering MaintenanceOnsite Team Supervisor), Antonio Correa-Barrios (Senior Mechanical Technologist)

Cardinal Glass CG (Waxahachie, TX): Anthony Lopez (Coating Manager), Mike Diedrich (Plant Manager)

Erie Community College (Williamsville, NY): Dr. Elena Brewer (Associate Professor), Tony Dalessio(Chair, Nanotechnology)

University of Wisconsin – Stout (Menomonie, WI): Dr. Marlann Patterson (Professor of Physics)

Pfeiffer Vacuum (Midwest Regional Sales): Sean Flynn (Sales Engineer)

Viracon (Owatonna, MN): Ben Pearce (Coatings Development Engineer)

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education program: Dr. John Jackman (ProgramOfficer)

Workshop Moderators: Sarah Holsted (DELIVER project communications specialist), Bob Bailey (DELIVERproject external evaluator)

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Appendix B – Gap Analysis Worksheet Assignment and SummaryCalibrating the State of Vacuum Education in the Twenty-first Century

Independent Assignment #1Gap Analysis Worksheet

Respondent (Name and Organization):Date:(Feel free to share this with others in your organization)

Question Response Other notes orcomments

What sector do you represent? ☐Coatings☐Advanced manufacturing☐R&D☐Education and training☐Other - describe in notes/comments

Describe your organization briefly –products and services, size,

Describe the role and importance ofvacuum technology to your sector

Gap or Opportunity Rationale OutcomesList and describe what is missingfrom

existing knowledge (e.g.,curriculum content’technical topics, skills)

infrastructure (e.g., labs,equipment, networks)

Other resources activities and programs for

education and training invacuum technology (e.g.,telepresence; recruitment,credentials)

geographic or sectorspecifics

Opportunities (unmetmarkets, emerging markets,partnerships)

Provide the reasoning for whyit is important to address thisgap.

List the expected results ofthe actions taken. How willwe know that any actiontaken is effective inaddressing the gap?

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Category Gap Rationale Outcome

Knowledge

Holistic approach totroubleshooting a variety ofissues with equipment in thefactory. Need to educate themon how to solve problems ingeneral similar to a KT approachto problem solving.https://www.mathscinotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Kepner-Tregoe_Methodology_version_2_20130307.pdf

Many of the new hiresrely heavily onexperienced techs toshow them what theyknow vs. figuring out aproblem on their own.

Less reliance onneeding to see everydown eventscenario beforebeing able to fix thetools. Able to workon a variety of toolswithout in depthtool training on aspecific tool by usingmanuals,schematics, problemsolving techniques.

Knowledge

Technicians coming from otherprograms (Hennepin Tech,Dunwoody) seem to have amore rounded approach to theirprograms. They teach moresubjects that are directly relatedto the technician’s job function.

Some of the classesrequired for the AASVacuum degree may notbe relevant for atechnician. Theinformation they learngoes “unused” at theirposition.

Teach more classeson what they wouldactually be doing asa technician to givethem the skills to hitthe ground running.I have found thattechnicians comingfrom other schoolsafter completingtheir AAS degreehave better skills asa technician but candefinitely benefitfrom the VacuumCertificate (3vacuum classes) atNormandale.

EnrollmentHigher enrollment atNormandale in the program.Not sure what the gap is.

Either it is not a well knowprogram or maintenancetechnicians preferDunwoody / Hennepintech. It seems like thegraduating class sizes aredefinitely bigger at otherschools.

Being a vacuumtechnician isdefinitely aspecialized field inthe area and it ishere to stay. Wehave many peoplethat will be reachingretirement age overthe next 5 years andthe amount ofpeople graduatingfrom theNormandaleprogram cannot

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fulfill requirementsin the area. Need abigger pool ofpotentialcandidates whenhiring.

Enrollment

The amount of peoplegraduating from theNormandale program cannotfulfill requirements in the area.

We have many peoplethat will be reachingretirement age over thenext 5 years and theamount of peoplegraduating from theNormandale programcannot fulfill requirementsin the area.

Higher enrollmentat Normandale inthe program. Notsure what the gap is.

Programs Short courses designed topromote the technology

Lack of awareness ofcareers in high schools

Higher enrollmentat Normandale inthe program.

OpportunitiesCollaboration with othercommunity colleges anduniversities

sharing of resources increased number ofpartnerships

Programs Micro credentials e.g.,troubleshooting

focus on a specificproblem; faster responses

increase in numberof credentials

Opportunities Off shoring of semiconductormanufacturing national security issue increased number of

companies

Enrollment

The program attracts very few‘traditional’ students atNormandale, that is, individualswho are in the 18 – 24-year-olddemographic AND are notalready working in the field.

Normandale has relativelystrong enrollments of‘traditional’ students.Enrollment of 10traditional students inVACT 1010 each termseems like a reasonableexpectation forregistrations.

Enrolling 10 or moretraditional studentsin VACT 1010 eachacademic term (thatis, 30 students eachAY) would representa more certainenrollment level tobuild the program.

Knowledge

Incorporating the Electronicsand Automation course (ENGT2188) more intentionally intothe Vacuum and Thin FilmTechnology curriculum.

Electronics andautomation are afoundational skill setrequired to support andmaintain vacuum systems.

Students completethe ENGT 2188course as part of theVacuum TechnologyCertificate.Students canpetition to waivethe ENGT 2188course if they have

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completed a priorautomation course.

Programs

One of the Gaps we discussedwithin our group from the firstseminar was the time zonedifferences throughout thenation for the students.

Most students in thisprogram are professionalsin the field of vacuumscience and the classtimes interfere with theirwork schedule. They haveto be pulled away fromtheir work responsibilitiesduring the day and somestudents feel it worsethan others depending onwhat time zone they livein.

Morecommunication andfront end loading ofthe studentsenrolling into theseclasses to try to finda time for all partiesinvolved that doesnot interrupt theirday-to-dayresponsibilities atwork. Possiblyhaving differenttimes for differentstudents dependingon what time zonethey live in.

Resources

Community Colleges do nothave substantial budgetallocations to purchase vacuumequipment to equip labs. A lotof colleges took additionalbudgetary hit during pandemic.And the cost of entry intoteaching vacuum technology canbe high.

If this barrier is overcome,more community collegeswill be able to incorporatevacuum technology intoexisting curricula or createnew course work invacuum technology.

Consider developingon-line labs eitherwith on-linesimulator forvacuumexperiments orremote labs withexisting equipment.This way, collegescan offer lectures invacuum technologylocally and utilizevacuum equipmentat Normandale CCor other institutionthat has goodselection of vacuumequipment. This willresult in increasedenrollment at thecommunity colleges.

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Resources

Vacuum technology is a nichearea which utilizes a lot ofchemistry, math, physics,electrical, etc. It is difficult tofind people qualified to teachvacuum courses – potentialcandidates would either havesolid academic background inSOME of these areas (not all) orsolid industry background. Butnot both. Additionalprofessional developmentopportunities for faculty to learnand get experience in vacuumtechnology are appreciated.This is just an idea – an on-line“train-the-trainer” set ofworkshops in vacuum tech forcommunity college faculty.

Lack of faculty expertisecan lead to additionalbarrier for offeringvacuum technologycourses at a particularinstitution. Especially thatmost community collegeshave “Vertical”departments (physics,chemistry, electrical) andmost faculty are notversed in all of theseareas.

More colleges canpotentially startoffering modules /courses / programsrelated to vacuumtechnology.

Programs

There is an opportunity todevelop micro credentials invacuum technology and makevacuum tech education moreflexible to meet the needs ofemployers.

Many employers aremoving more towardsneeding training in aparticular set of skills vscompleting a degree. So,offering micro credentialsin rough vacuum systems,in high vacuum systems,in vacuum systemstroubleshooting, in leakdetection, - can be a newroute to bring morecompanies on board.Also, micro credentialsallow for more flexibilityin offering smallermodules and combiningthem into larger chunks tocomplete micro credentialrequirements.

Increased collegeenrollment andincreased programcompletionmatrices. Moreflexibility in meetingemployer needs.

Programs

There are currently no nation-wide certification standards invacuum technology education.It would be very beneficial forthe industry and academia todevelop and agree upon the setof standards which must be metin all vacuum training programs.

This will add legitimacy tothe vacuum technologyprograms / training /courses / microcredentials. And it willmake it easier foremployers to hire newemployees because theywill have better idea of

More employersmay send theirworkers to takecourses in vacuumtechnology if suchcourses meetnational certificationrequirements. Also,graduates should

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the level of training /education of potentialemployees.

have higheremploymentnumbers aftercompleting theprogram orcoursework.

Programs

Vacuum technology courses arelimited to regions whereindustries are clustered, such asupstate New York, Arizona, andOregon, where some very largesemiconductor fabricationmanufacturing facilities arelocated.

A broader reach wouldexpand the potentialworkforce pool

Industry would havemore success infinding skilledworkers

Knowledge

any courses addressing vacuumconcepts are typically part of aprogram focused onnanotechnology orsemiconductor processing andtherefore do not cover topicsbeyond technology focused onsemiconductor manufacturing.

Students therefore do nothave an understanding ofvacuum technology’sbroader reach inmanufacturing.

Students wouldhave a broaderunderstanding ofvacuum technologyapplications

ResourcesCommunity college programsneed consistent and ongoingadvocacy at state levels

Support from stateassemblies directlyimpacts communitycollege budgets – bothpositively and negatively

Community collegeprograms wouldhave adequatefunding

Programs

Perception of communitycolleges are second or thirdoptions for post-high schooleducation. Often perceived astransfer schools and nottechnical schools

Improving the perceptionwould lead to increasedenrollments

Increasedenrollments

Programs

Community colleges are stilllearning how to embrace anddeploy distribute learningtechnologies – thesetechnologies have limitedresources in CC budgets

Telepresence is a drivingtechnology in education

Increasedenrollments intelepresence classes

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Opportunities Partnerships and Sponsorships

The Program is fortunateto be geographicallylocated in the Twin Cities,an international hub formanufacturers that utilizevacuum technology andrequire a highly trainedworkforce. The Programalready has strong andcollaborative partnershipswith some of thesebusinesses and creatingeducational alliances is alogical next step for bothparties. One approach TheProgram could consider ishaving a signaturesponsor and severalassociated partners—similar to the professionalsports or racingsponsorship themes.Relevant articles havebeen published thatdescribe successfulbusiness/communitycollege partnerships andcan be used as a template.A key component of anysuch partnership appearsto be the support andeffort of the collegepresident. To take fulladvantage of thisopportunity, The Programmust have the full supportof President Ester and heractive engagement withpotential partners.

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Programs Marketing the program

Marketing academicprograms is a perennialproblem for colleges.Budgets are extremelytight, and the needs aregreat; there simply isn’tenough money to goaround. The Program iscaught in a paradox—without a robustmarketing plan and thefunds to drive it, studentnumbers are unlikely tochange significantly in theshort-term. However, ifThe Program couldleverage the marketingengine of one of itsbusiness partners, it mightbe able to create anddeploy such a marketingplan at little to no directcost while strengtheningan existing businessrelationship, which willdrive student numbersand be viewed favorablyby funding agencies.

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Enrollment Increasing Enrollments

From the perspective ofsustainability, increasingstudent numbers is one ofthe most impactful stepsThe Program can take.Increasing traditionalstudent numbers (FTEs)would appear to have themost direct and significantimpact from a businessstandpoint but workingcollaboratively with theNCC Continuing Educationand Customized Trainingdepartment to provideongoing worker trainingwould also pay dividends.By the end of summer2018, The Program willhave created a businessplan that outlines thesteps to improvedbusiness performance andsustainability. Persistentlyand faithfully pursuing theplan will be critical toachieving the future itarticulates.

Enrollment Scholarship Fund

The Danielson familygenerously supported TheProgram with a nearly$600,000 scholarship funddesigned to providescholarships for studentsin certain qualifyingcourses beginning in 2017.The scholarship fundcould act as a powerfuldraw to students but onlyif they know about it andaccess it. The scholarshipfund will also be lookedupon favorably by the NSFas The Program pursuesthe next round of funding,and by industry partnerslooking to createadditional value and

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impact with their ownfunds or equipmentdonations.

Resources Federal Funding and PolicyUncertainty

The Trumpadministration’s sciencefunding policies has sownconfusion anduncertainty. For example,President Trumpproposed and thenrescinded a 30% decreasein NSF funding in the 2019budget. Additionally, thefunding model for ATECenters, a key potentialnext step for TheProgram, have beenchanged recently. As theProgram is heavilydependent on NSFfunding, changes to theNSF funding levels andpriorities are a significantvariable and threat to TheProgram. This threat canbe minimized byimproving studentnumbers and identifyingand securing new sourcesof revenue and/orequipment donations, allwhile leveraging existingNSF contacts to learn howto be successful within thenew funding paradigm.

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Other Agile Competitors

Equipmentmanufacturers, ATECenters, and othercolleges with similarprograms and expertise allrepresent potentialthreats to The Program. Itis not only thatcompetitors might decideto enter this space, andthat current businesspartners might choose topursue these servicesfrom competitors, butthat the competitors canmove into the space morequickly and with greateragility than The Programcan adjust to its newenvironment.

Resources State and College fundingpriorities

Minnesota is in the middleof the pack (23rd in thenation) in terms of per-pupil spending on highereducation. Overall, statesare becoming increasinglydependent on tuitionrevenue to fund highereducation, which putspressure on low-enrollment, high-costprograms. For the firsttime ever, students areshouldering the majorityof the true cost of highereducation despite slightincreases in state andlocal funding. The overallcost of a college educationis at an all-time high andthe percent increase peryear has averaged 6%above the rate ofinflation. Click here for alink to a report describingtrends in state funding forhigher education.

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Programs

Coordinating with localCommunity Colleges outside onNormandale for short courses inVacuum Technology

AVS and SVC offer theseshort courses but areusually in a differentlocation. If CC’s cancombine resources, thiscan be done in theclassroom instead oftraveling to distantlocations that are held atcertain times of the year.

Our local CC hasimplemented aMechanicalTechnician programand an introductionto Vac Tech couldopen the door forfurther instructionand increaseenrollment.

Programs Micro-credentials

A transcript completion ofa shorter portion of atraditional 1-yearcertificate program or 2-year AAS degree wouldallow students to showemployers that they havefundamental knowledgewhile shorteningcompletion time andgetting to work sooner.This could be ideal forretraining unemployedworkers as well. Byhaving 6-9ish credit hourmicro-creds, in areas suchas fundamentals andrough vacuum, high vac,thin films, opticalcoatings, and otheradvanced topics, studentscan take what they needfor employment andcontinued advancement inshorter blocks of time. Byhaving the micro-credappear on their collegetranscript, employers areassured of studentcompletion. Even if astudent is forced to leaveschool before a degree isfinished (life happenssometimes), they mayhave earned a micro-credwhich leads to jobopportunities.

Training / retrainingincumbent workersleading to fasteremploymentopportunities. Themicro-credentialcould be offeredremotely or on-siteas part of a technicalprogram in HighSchool (for collegecredit and acompleted micro-cred) leading toemploymentopportunities wherethe jobs are, be itrural, urban, and inany state. In NY wehave cooperativetechnical educationin high schools(BOCES, not sure ifthere is anequivalent in MN).

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Opportunities

Working with professionalsocieties on convertingworkshops to academic credittowards a degree or micro-credential

Many specialty companiessend employees toworkshops offered by SVCor AVS at conferences orlocal chapter meetings. Ifwe can work with thesocieties to create anassessment tool for theirworkshops, then severalworkshops could bebundled together forcredit in a specialty coursewhich can be appliedtowards a micro-cred orfull certificate or degree.This would give anopportunity for workerswithout a formaleducation to worktowards some type ofcredential which makes iteasier to seek out newand better jobopportunities or qualifyfor advancement withintheir current company.

More credentialsawarded.

Programs

Certifications-I’m defining“Certifications” training aimedat the technician/mechanic whohas achieved a high schooldiploma (Certification might notbe the right word). The targetstudent is critical to making themachines run.

Need to establish a basicsknowledge base thatensures competency.While the target group isoften mechanicallyinclined, there are basicprinciples unique tovacuum systems. Industryis particularly interested inthis as it normalizesknowledge and takes theonus of basic training ofexisting employees.

A moreknowledgeable andeffective work forcewill increaseproductivity.Ultimately,certification value istracked by industryresponse – is thecertified technicianpreferentially hired?

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Programs

Continuing educationcredits/micro credentials-I’mdefining these credits as thoseaimed to supplement anassociate or bachelors degree.The target student is critical tomanaging fabrication facilities.This curriculum is different thanfor “certificates” above.

Outside of universityresearch groups, vacuumbasics are not widelytaught. While managersmight have engineering orbasic science degrees,basics and applied topicsin vacuum technology isvaluable.

A moreknowledgeable andeffective work forcewill increaseproductivity andfrom a corporateperspective,improve thecommunicationbetween managerand technician.Again, value can betracked byemploymentpreferences.

Enrollment

The program attracts very few‘traditional’ students atNormandale, that is, individualswho are in the 18 to 24-year-olddemographic AND are notalready working in the field.

Normandale is the largestcommunity college in thestate of MN and as suchhas relatively strongenrollments of‘traditional’ students.Enrollment of 10traditional students inVACT 1010 each termseems like a reasonableexpectation forregistrations.

Enrolling 10 or moretraditional studentsin VACT 1010 eachacademic term (thatis, 30 students eachAY) would representa more certainenrollmentfoundation levelupon which to buildthe program.

Knowledge

Incorporating the Electronicsand Automation course (ENGT2188) more intentionally intothe curriculum of a Vacuum andThin Film Technology Certificatecredential.

Electronics andautomation are afoundational skill setrequired to support andmaintain vacuum systems.

Students completethe ENGT 2188course as part of theVacuum TechnologyCertificate.Students canpetition to waivethe ENGT 2188course if they havecompleted a priorautomation course.

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Resources

Ability to provide enoughVacuum Equipment Trainersystems to provide all studentswho enroll in NormandaleVacuum Technology classes withtimely and meaningful hands-onlearning experiences.

Industry Advisory Grouphas stressed importanceof Normandale providinghands-on learningexperiences in VacuumTechnology. The VacuumTechnology program hasdeveloped and built theirown Vacuum EquipmentTrainer systems usingfunding from the NSF-ATEgrants and state of MNinitiative funding.

All students inVacuum Technologyclasses engage inmeaningful learningexperiences eitherusing a VacuumEquipment Trainersystem that theyoperate andmanipulate directly,in-person OR thatthey operate andmanipulateindirectly through aform of remoteequipment access.

Enrollment

In a world where unemploymentis high and many people arelooking for work, especially highpaying jobs, it is surprising thatenrollment in the Vac techprograms is still so low.Especially given the $ help fromthe scholarships and the highpotential for good paying jobsafter 2 years of training. Wehave postulated why this mustbe the case (lack of informationand understanding about thefield) and have tried cures(marketing videos) butenrollment is still low. It seemslike we need a data gatheringexercise to determine whystudents are not enrolling? Thismight consist of a survey or ? togage prospective students’interest and knowledge of theprogram and field.

The industry needs moreVac workers and Vac Techneeds more students.

Understanding thereasons studentsare not consideringthe program willhelp change thecontent ormarketing of theprogram to bring inmore students. Theresults will be higherenrollment in VacTech classes.

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Enrollment

The Program suffers frompersistently low enrollment andcorrespondingly low numbers ofdegrees awarded, which makesit vulnerable to budget cuts orclosure as student headcount,degree attainment, andcompletion rates are all keydetermining factors in funding.Low student numbers likely alsoinfluence the overall presenceand prestige of The Programboth at NCC and within theuniversity system, the greatsuccess in securing externalfunds notwithstanding. From asustainability perspective,student headcount must beincreased for The Program to beviable in the long term.

Resources

High Cost of Operation The highcost of the creating and shippingthe teaching/learning kits andthe telepresence technology,coupled with low studentnumbers, gives The Program ahigh overall cost of operationper pupil. As such, The Programis heavily dependent on externalfunding for its existence. Giventhe changing nature of fundinghigher education, this is apotentially fatal weakness forThe Program.

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Resources

Overdependence on the PIs TheProgram is overly dependent onits PIs: Louwagie with her trackrecord, reputation, andconnections with the NSF, andSmith with his contentknowledge, direct experience,and industry contacts. If eitherwere to leave NCC it would callinto question The Program’sability to meet the expectationsof the current award, ability toobtain such funding in thefuture, and The Program’schances of becoming an ATECenter. Additionally, TheProgram could potentially losekey industry connections ifeither were to leave NCC. TheProgram does not appear tohave a systematic plan fordeveloping new instructors andProgram leaders. As a keycomponent of sustainability, TheProgram must take action tocorrect this.

Resources

The Program benefits from theuniversity system’s leveragedequipment funding policy,although it is disadvantaged bythe high level of bureaucracyand slow pace at which thesystem responds to student andprogram needs. Most curricularchanges take at least one yearto go from concept todeployment. Business andfinancial decision-making islargely controlled at the systemrather than the college orprogram level, and innovationand entrepreneurship can bestifled by the sheer weight ofworking within a massive statesystem.

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Enrollment

A way to recruit people fromapplicable industries into ourcourses at NCC in a sustainableway and on time for thesemester schedule.

Every semester Nancyspends a great deal oftime getting peoplerecruited and registeredfor our courses on time. Itis always a scramble. Theproblem does not seem tobe a lack of interest in thecourses. It’s just a timeand logistical problem.

We could havepeople enrolledbefore the semesterstarts so we knowour enrollmentsearly enough tomake good plans.Also, studentswouldn’t miss thebeginning of thecourse waiting toget registered andget their workbook.

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Appendix C – Issue Tree

Shaping the Future of Vacuum Technology EducationWorkshop #2 Breakout Session Materials

PurposeThis handout provides the background information and content needed to prepare for and contribute tothe small group breakout session that is part of workshop #2 on October 30, 2020.

Materials in this document Breakout session instructions Issue Tree explanation Gap analysis data

Before the workshop on October 30, 20201. Review the Instructions for the breakout session, the Issue Tree graphic and the text version of the

Issue Tree, and the gap analysis data

During the workshop1. Have open the shared google document for this breakout session.

Link will be sent an hour before the meeting.2. Ask any questions while Bob Bailey explains the breakout session exercise.3. During the breakout session, someone from the workshop organizing team or Normandale will take

notes in the shared google document. Your group should review and agree on the notes anddesignate someone to report on your discussion.

Instructions - Breakout Session

1) You will be assigned to a breakout room with 2-3 attendees. Take a few moments to say hello, openthis document, and scroll to your breakout group in the shared google doc.

2) Each group will work through two Issues. One will be assigned; the other your group will choosefrom the list on page 3, section A. Deliverable is an outline of reasons for the Issue (see page 2).

3) For the assigned / chosen issue, start with the statements from the Summary of Responses fromGap Analysis Worksheets (page 3, section B) to list in outline form the reasons why the issue is aconcern. Add issues as necessary.

4) Continue to further break down the reasons by identifying secondary and tertiary levels of “whys.”5) Use the MECE principle: mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive.

a. Mutually exclusive means there is no overlap between different parts of the tree.b. Collectively exhaustive means they cover the whole problem.

6) Do not go into the small details (specific hypotheses): focus on capturing the broad categories thatmake up the problem.

a. The purpose of this exercise is to identify problems. We’ll identify solutions in anotherworkshop. If your group starts problem solving, park those thoughts in the google doc.

Issue Tree Model for Breakout Session Discussion

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Issue trees are essentially maps of problems. They provide a clear and systematic way of looking at theproblem to solve. They help break down a big problem into smaller, more manageable problems, andthey help prioritize certain parts of the problem. This is a "divide and conquer" strategy.

Reference: https://untools.co/issue-treesThis is a text version of an issue tree. We will use this during the workshop in a shared google doc (linkto be shared an hour before the workshop begins).

1) Issue: CurriculumA. Primary “Why?” – Lack of troubleshooting in curriculum

i. Secondary “Why?”: Reduces dependence on other experienced techsii. Secondary “Why?”: Technicians still lack problem solving techniques

B. Primary “Why?”: Programs need to focus more on technicians as opposed to academici. Secondary “Why?”: Some general ed courses may not be relevant

a) Tertiary “Why?”: Academic degrees require general education courses

A. Overview of Gap Analysis Data 9 worksheets completed. Education sector is the dominant contributor (72% of responses). 42 gaps identified.5 content areas emerged. Note: These content areas become the top-level Issues in the Issue Treemodel (page 2). “Opportunities” will be discussed at a later workshop.

o Enrollment: numbers, student readiness, student targetso Curriculum: topics, skills, standardso Resources: funding, instructors, industry support, advocacyo Programs: marketing, new credentialso Opportunities: partnerships, collaborations, new markets

B. Summary of Responses from Gap Analysis Worksheets

Issue: Enrollment - numbers, student readiness, student targets1. Higher enrollment at Normandale in the program. Not sure what the gap is.2. The amount of people graduating from the Normandale program cannot fulfill requirements

in the area.

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3. The program attracts very few ‘traditional’ students at Normandale, that is, individuals whoare in the 18 to 24-year-old demographic AND are not already working in the field.

4. Increasing Enrollments5. The Danielson family generously supported The Program with a nearly $600,000 scholarship

fund designed to provide scholarships for students in certain qualifying courses beginning in2017. The scholarship fund could act as a powerful draw to students but only if they knowabout it and access it. The scholarship fund will also be looked upon favorably by the NSF asThe Program pursues the next round of funding, and by industry partners looking to createadditional value and impact with their own funds or equipment donations.

6. The program attracts very few ‘traditional’ students at Normandale, that is, individuals whoare in the 18 to 24-year-old demographic AND are not already working in the field.

7. In a world where unemployment is high and many people are looking for work, especiallyhigh paying jobs, it is surprising that enrollment in the Vac tech programs is still so low.Especially given the $ help from the scholarships and the high potential for good paying jobsafter 2 years of training. We have postulated why this must be the case (lack of informationand understanding about the field) and have tried cures (marketing videos) but enrollmentis still low. It seems like we need a data gathering exercise to determine why students arenot enrolling? This might consist of a survey or ? to gage prospective students’ interest andknowledge of the program and field.

8. Persistently Low Enrollment - The Program suffers from persistently low enrollment andcorrespondingly low numbers of degrees awarded, which makes it vulnerable to budgetcuts or closure as student headcount, degree attainment, and completion rates are all keydetermining factors in funding. Low student numbers likely also influence the overallpresence and prestige of The Program both at NCC and within the university system, thegreat success in securing external funds notwithstanding. From a sustainability perspective,student headcount must be increased for The Program to be viable in the long term.

Issue: Curriculum - topics, skills, standards1. Holistic approach to troubleshooting a variety of issues with equipment in the factory.

Need to educate them on how to solve problems in general similar to a KT approach toproblem solving. https://www.mathscinotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Kepner-Tregoe_Methodology_version_2_20130307.pdf

2. Technicians coming from other programs (Hennepin Tech, Dunwoody) seem to have a morerounded approach to their programs. They teach more subjects that are directly related tothe technician’s job function.

3. Incorporating the Electronics and Automation course (ENGT 2188) more intentionally intothe Vacuum and Thin Film Technology curriculum.

4. any courses addressing vacuum concepts are typically part of a program focused onnanotechnology or semiconductor processing and therefore do not cover topics beyondtechnology focused on semiconductor manufacturing.

5. Incorporating the Electronics and Automation course (ENGT 2188) more intentionally intothe curriculum of a Vacuum and Thin Film Technology Certificate credential.

Issue: Resources - funding, instructors, industry support, advocacy

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1. Community Colleges do not have substantial budget allocations to purchase vacuumequipment to equip labs. A lot of colleges took additional budgetary hit during pandemic.And the cost of entry into teaching vacuum technology can be high.

2. Vacuum technology is a niche area which utilizes a lot of chemistry, math, physics,electrical, etc. It is difficult to find people qualified to teach vacuum courses – potentialcandidates would either have solid academic background in SOME of these areas (not all) orsolid industry background. But not both. Additional professional developmentopportunities for faculty to learn and get experience in vacuum technology are appreciated.This is just an idea – an on-line “train-the-trainer” set of workshops in vacuum tech forcommunity college faculty.

3. Community college programs need consistent and ongoing advocacy at state levels4. Federal Funding and Policy Uncertainty5. State and College funding priorities6. Ability to provide enough Vacuum Equipment Trainer systems to provide all students who

enroll in Normandale Vacuum Technology classes with timely and meaningful hands-onlearning experiences.

7. High Cost of Operation The high cost of the creating and shipping the teaching/learning kitsand the telepresence technology, coupled with low student numbers, gives The Program ahigh overall cost of operation per pupil. As such, The Program is heavily dependent onexternal funding for its existence. Given the changing nature of funding higher education,this is a potentially fatal weakness for The Program.

Issue: Programs - marketing, new credentials1. Short courses designed to promote the technology2. Micro credentials e.g., troubleshooting3. One of the Gaps we discussed within our group from the first seminar was the time zone

differences throughout the nation for the students.4. There is an opportunity to develop micro credentials in vacuum technology and make

vacuum tech education more flexible to meet the needs of employers.5. There are currently no nation-wide certification standards in vacuum technology education.

It would be very beneficial for the industry and academia to develop and agree upon the setof standards which must be met in all vacuum training programs.

6. Vacuum technology courses are limited to regions where industries are clustered, such asupstate New York, Arizona, and Oregon, where some very large semiconductor fabricationmanufacturing facilities are located.

7. Perception of community colleges are second or third options for post-high schooleducation. Often perceived as transfer schools and not technical schools

8. Overdependence on the PIs The Program is overly dependent on its PIs: Louwagie with hertrack record, reputation, and connections with the NSF, and Smith with his contentknowledge, direct experience, and industry contacts. If either were to leave NCC it wouldcall into question The Program’s ability to meet the expectations of the current award,ability to obtain such funding in the future, and The Program’s chances of becoming an ATECenter. Additionally, The Program could potentially lose key industry connections if eitherwere to leave NCC. The Program does not appear to have a systematic plan for developing

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new instructors and Program leaders. As a key component of sustainability, The Programmust take action to correct this.

9. Dependence on University System - The Program benefits from the university system’sleveraged equipment funding policy, although it is disadvantaged by the high level ofbureaucracy and slow pace at which the system responds to student and program needs.Most curricular changes take at least one year to go from concept to deployment. Businessand financial decision-making is largely controlled at the system rather than the college orprogram level, and innovation and entrepreneurship can be stifled by the sheer weight ofworking within a massive state system.

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Appendix D – Student Panel Summary

Shaping the Future of Vacuum Education in the 21st CenturyStudent Panel Summary

Motivation to Enroll Needed to take advantage of advancement opportunity Recommended by a supervisor/encouraged by management Part of an internship Encouraged by faculty

Motivation to Persist Financial incentive in the form of a pay raise Desire to improve skills Promotion; path to management position

Benefits Improved problem solving and troubleshooting skills Class notes and slides often used as a resource on the job Recognition by management as a subject matter expert Promotion/career advancement Credential helped overcome the challenges of being in an underrepresented demographic

Best Parts of the Program Real time instruction through on-line technology – “felt like I was actually in the classroom” Physical trainers VACT 1010 Foundations course Rigorous program Faculty were accessible, helpful and skilled Troubleshooting and analysis focus

Type of Person that could benefit Maintenance technicians – all types Engineers

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Appendix E – Solution Tree Breakout and ResultsShaping the Future of Vacuum Technology Education in the Twenty-first Century

Workshop #5: Breakout Group InstructionsMarch 26, 2021

Goal: Identify potential solutions to the issues that impact vacuum technology education.1) Identify possible solutions or approaches to each issue.2) Provide details about “how” to implement these solutions.3) Identify the resources needed to implement the solutions.4) Identify the constraints that might impact the solutions.5) Capture any other ideas.

EXAMPLEIssue 4: Low enrollments in vacuum technology programsTo address this issue, increase the pool of potential students in VACT courses by:1) Solution 1: Engaging the target market of high school students

i) How?: Promote dual enrollment for VACT 1010 and 1292(1) How?: Identify the high schools to target(2) How?: Identify teachers and guidance counselors to talk to

Resources needed to implement this solution● Contact lists of schools with established dual enrollment programs

Constraints● Dual enrollment not broadly available in MN.

Breakout Session ContextEarlier in this series, an assignment from Workshop #2 led to the creation of an “issue tree” forvacuum technology education (see attached). To develop the issue trees, we asked “why”; whydoes that situation occur? That assignment identified five main issues:

1. Lack of qualified candidates to hire or enroll into a vacuum technology program2. Scheduling/delivery constraints on training due to work schedules3. Gaps in existing curriculum programs4. Low enrollments in vacuum technology programs5. Resource needs of community colleges/technical schools for programs like this

The response to an issue tree is a solution tree. To create the solution tree, we will ask “how;”how can we address these issues identified?

For example, to address an issue such as “lack of knowledge,” we would ask, “how can weincrease knowledge?” and then brainstorm solutions such as “do more hands-on lessons in aclass” or “develop a workflow for tying problem-solving on a shift back to core STEM concepts.”