Northern New Mexico has a pressing need for skilled technicians in a variety of fields, according to a labor market assessment conducted by UNM-Los Alamos over the past year. To meet that demand, the branch is developing a new Associate of Applied Science in Applied Technologies. Los Alamos National Laboratory has committed to support the program with a seven-year, $700,000 grant.
Irina Alvestad, program coordinator, is working with experts from UNM, LANL and area businesses to design a curriculum. The program will provide basic academic and hands-on skills for entry-level technician positions in rapidly evolving fields such as nanotechnology, electro-mechanical technology and manufacturing – the main high-demand areas identified in the labor market assessment.
“This applied technologies degree program is a customized program for the needs of our local and regional labor market,” Alvestad said.
The degree will prepare students to become competitive in the labor market for technicians, providing the quality training necessary to pursue employment with regional companies such as LANL, Intel, Bechtel, Qwest and PNM.
New courses are being developed for the program, building on existing core and technical courses such as technical communications, electronics, computer-aided drafting and design, material science, welding, machine shop practice and blueprint reading.
Service learning is an important component of the curriculum. Working with an area business or employer, students will work on projects connected to their chosen area of concentration where they will use skills and knowledge in real-life situations.
The program will be submitted for approval to the UNM Faculty Senate and New Mexico Higher Education Department in the fall and begin offering courses in spring 2009.
For more information contact Alvestad at (505) 662-5919 ext. 679 or protech@unm.edu.