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Energy; Power Technology; Facilities; Employment Opportunities; Occupational Information; Credentials; Qualifications; Scientists; Engineering; Technical Occupations; Skilled Workers; Building Trades; Paraprofessional Personnel; Income; Employment

Abstract:
In the search for new energy resources, scientists have discovered ways to use the Earth itself as a valuable source of power. Geothermal power plants use the Earth's natural underground heat to provide clean, renewable energy. The geothermal energy industry has expanded rapidly in recent years as interest in renewable energy has grown. In 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted about 1,050 jobs in geothermal power generation. And the Geothermal Energy Association estimates that there were about 5,200 jobs directly related to geothermal power production and management in the United States in 2010. Geothermal energy production is expected to continue to grow, and with it the demand for workers in associated occupations. This article describes geothermal energy and career opportunities in the industry, focusing on geothermal projects that generate electricity for power grids. The first two sections explain geothermal energy and how it works, and the third section discusses the different steps necessary to construct a geothermal plant. The fourth section highlights occupations that are critical to the geothermal industry. Each occupational overview includes information on job duties; occupational wage and employment data; and the credentials needed to work in these occupations, such as education, training, certification, and licensure. Sources for more information are listed at the end of the article. (Contains 4 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Feedback (Response); Technology Education; Problem Solving; Communities of Practice; Semi Structured Interviews; Research Projects; Engineering; Technical Occupations; Design

Abstract:
Design and problem-solving is a key learning focus in technology education and remains a distinguishing factor that separates it from other subject areas. This research investigated how two expert designers considered experiences with hard materials contributed to their learning design and problem-solving with these materials. The research project used a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with two mechanical engineers. They identified their experiences under three key headings that provided them with much of the essential knowledge and understanding they employ today to design and problem-solve with hard materials. These included experience of seeing outcomes that provided feedback on their designs, experiences that informed about materials and material selection and accessing others' experiences from communities of practice. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Higher Education; Entrepreneurship; Business Administration Education; Employment Potential; College Graduates; Scientists; Engineering; Technical Occupations; Science Education; Engineering Education

Abstract:
This paper explores the impact effective entrepreneurship teaching has on the employability of scientists and engineers. Business teaching, guest speakers and work placements are part of many science and engineering degrees and this research indicates that entrepreneurship and related issues are also being addressed in a variety of ways and having a positive impact on student employability. It also benefits several other stakeholders, including the higher education institution, potential employers and government. This study aims to provide guidance on ways to improve entrepreneurship teaching for scientists and engineers in higher education, so that their employability is enhanced through the "3Cs"--content, capability and character. (Contains 2 tables and 2 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Cooperation; Ambiguity (Context); Group Dynamics; Resistance (Psychology); Design; Engineering; Technical Occupations; Observation; Ethnography

Abstract:
Prior research suggests that boundary objects gain meaning through group interaction. Drawing from the literature on strategic ambiguity, we explore the possibility that individuals strategically create potential boundary objects in an attempt to shape the meanings that groups develop. From ethnographic observations of automotive engineers, we identify 2 creation strategies: ambiguity (to create objects that support multiple meanings) and clarity (to create objects that permit a particular meaning). We detail design activities that engineers undertook to create objects under each strategy. We find that, when creating objects, engineers favored a strategy of ambiguity, which they believed would foster healthy long-term group interactions, over a strategy of clarity, which they tended to employ only when they expected resistance to their ideas. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Labor Market; Employment Patterns; Skilled Occupations; Technical Occupations; Personnel Selection; Job Skills; Employment Practices; Labor Force; Futures (of Society); Industry; Labor Needs; Skilled Workers; On the Job Training; Industrial Training; Staff Development; Employment Potential; Educational Attainment; Secondary Education; High School Graduates; Employees

Abstract:
In today's job market, middle and high skills jobs--jobs that require some education and training beyond high school--comprise the majority of job openings and typically provide the best wages and opportunities for advancement. And almost every day, there is an article or news story discussing the "skills mismatch" phenomenon, the ongoing challenge employers have in finding qualified and skilled employees to fill the more than 3 million jobs currently open in the United States, even in a time of high unemployment. As policymakers develop policies and programs that aim to ensure that the future U.S. workforce has the academic and technical preparation (from both K-12 and postsecondary education) necessary to access the careers of their choice, it is important to examine the issue from all angles. While there is an increasing amount of research around the education and skills jobs demand, the changing landscape of available jobs, and the role of education and training in addressing this skills mismatch, less is known about how the skills mismatch affects companies' hiring practices--and how companies' hiring practices affect the skills mismatch. For instance, do organizations expect to require higher levels of education for future job openings at some or all job levels? Do the education and skills requirements listed in job postings reflect current hiring practices? What are the most significant changes these HR leaders see for their organizations in the future? And what opportunities are truly available within organizations for advancement, particularly for individuals with lower levels of education and skills? To answer these questions and others, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Achieve partnered on a national survey of nearly 4,700 HR professionals representing nine industries. Major findings from the survey include: (1) Companies are hiring; (2) Demand is growing for more education and skills at all levels; (3) Companies are investing in training for their employees; and (4) Opportunities exist for low skills workers, but there is reason to suspect that these opportunities will shrink in the future. (Contains 7 figures, 6 tables, and 3 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Labor Force; Futures (of Society); Social Change; Job Skills; Skilled Occupations; Technical Occupations; Skilled Workers; Employment Qualifications; Postsecondary Education; Educational Attainment; Middle Class; Associate Degrees; Education Work Relationship; Labor Supply; Access to Education; Influence of Technology; Employment Opportunities

Abstract:
The U.S. workforce has undergone significant changes in the past few decades. Increasingly sophisticated technology, changes in the structure of the economy and the growing global marketplace have resulted in employers putting a higher premium than ever on educated workers. Much has been said about the importance of increasing the labor supply for "middle skills jobs," or those jobs that now (compared to decades past) require more than a high school education but less than a bachelor's degree (e.g., associate degree, postsecondary certificate, apprenticeship, etc.). In the past few years, floods of research reports and analyses have explored the growth, demographics, characteristics and importance of middle skills jobs in the United States. This paper seeks to summarize and synthesize that research to help policymakers and advocates understand the research base and its connection to college- and career-ready reforms. If today's students are going to be able to access middle and high skills jobs, they need to graduate from high school with the core knowledge and skills that will prepare them for success in postsecondary education and training--and for success in the careers of their choice. Specifically the paper includes sections on: (1) The Future of the U.S. Workforce; (2) The Mismatch between Workers' Skills, Education Levels and Job Requirements; (3) Many Paths to Education for Middle Skills Jobs; and (4) Middle Skills Jobs and Access to Middle Class Jobs. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables, and 72 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Vocational Education; Employment; Education Work Relationship; Job Training; Work Experience; Certification; Apprenticeships; Associate Degrees; Postsecondary Education; Career Readiness; Labor Force Development; Educational Finance; Educational Attainment; Information Systems; Middle Class; Income; Gender Differences; Age Differences; Racial Differences; Allied Health Occupations; Blue Collar Occupations; Managerial Occupations; Office Occupations; Sales Occupations; Service Occupations; Technical Occupations

Abstract:
For recent high school graduates, life is tough. In the past year, one in four young high school graduates was unemployed and over half were underemployed. In the past decade, recent high school graduates' wages have fallen by 12 percent to just $19,400 annually in 2011, below the poverty threshold for a family of four. The downward plight of high school graduates did not begin yesterday. It is a story that goes back at least 40 years and represents a structural change in the United States economy, demarcated by rising educational requirements across the labor market and a smaller share of the economic pie for high school-educated workers. As jobs that require only high school or less have disappeared, postsecondary education and training on the job and in schools have become the gateways to the middle class. Most postsecondary education and training discussions focus on the baccalaureate pathway, but there has been an increasing interest in so-called "middle jobs." These are jobs that require education and training beyond high school but less than a Bachelor's degree, and secure middle-class earnings. The education and training programs that prepare Americans for these jobs are commonly referred to as career and technical education (CTE). This report has two parts. Part One explores in detail the five major CTE pathways at the sub-baccalaureate level: employer-based training, industry-based certifications, apprenticeships, postsecondary certificates, and Associate's degrees. Part Two lists the occupations for which CTE prepares American workers. Middle jobs are defined in terms of both education and earnings. The first criterion is that jobs require more education and training than high school but less than a Bachelor's degree. The second criterion is a minimum earnings threshold (MET) of an average of $35,000 a year, which was 185 percent of the poverty line earnings for a family of four in 2011. Employment of Middle-Education Workers, Average Annual Wages, and Projected Growth of Top 10 Paying Middle Jobs by Occupational Group are appended. (Contains 28 figures, 7 tables, and 50 footnotes.) [For "Career and Technical Education: Five Ways That Pay along the Way to the B.A. Executive Summary," see ED535319.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Telecommunications; Technical Occupations; Occupational Information; Work Environment; Job Skills; Income; Certification

Abstract:
Fiber-optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber that is roughly the diameter of a human hair. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that is modulated to carry information. Each optical fiber is capable of carrying an enormous amount of information over great distances without amplification. However, none of this would be possible without the ability to interconnect optical fibers or terminate them at a piece of equipment. This is the job of the fiber optic installer. Fiber optic installers splice optical fibers together either mechanically or by melting the optical fibers together with a fusion splicer. They also terminate the optical fiber with a connector at a piece of equipment. In addition, installers inspect and test each installation. This article discusses everything students need to know about careers for fiber optic installers--wages, responsibilities, education and skills needed, career advancement possibilities, and more. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Energy Conservation; Technical Occupations; Occupational Information; Work Environment; Job Skills; Income; Certification

Abstract:
Renewable energy systems are beginning to appear everywhere. Solar modules are creating "blue roofs" that convert the energy from the sun into household electricity. Solar thermal systems on roofs can generate hot water. Wind turbines catch breezes to provide even more electricity. Recommendations for saving energy, specifying systems for producing electricity, and designing ways to measure the performance of these and other systems are all part of a renewable energy systems integrator's job. A renewable energy systems integrator technician, or simply "integrator," is basically a design consultant for sustainable energy systems. The integrator helps customers make informed decisions about their renewable energy choices. For example, reducing a customer's energy usage is the first step before adding renewable energy generation. The integrator can perform a site analysis to determine if solar electricity or solar heating are reasonable options, whether a wind turbine will work adequately, or if a geothermal system for heating and cooling makes sense. An integrator is also skilled in electronics and electrical systems, providing solid background knowledge for system design and evaluation. For example, a customer may have a renewable energy system installed and needs help evaluating its performance. An integrator can monitor the system and take measurements. Another customer may need help designing light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems; the integrator has the necessary electronics knowledge to provide that help. An integrator must be talented, versatile, and flexible to rise to a wide variety of challenges. Because every day is different, learning is continuous. This article discusses everything students need to know about careers for renewable energy systems integrators--wages, responsibilities, education and skills needed, career advancement possibilities, and more. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Western Civilization; Intellectual Disciplines; Culture; Bias; Experiential Learning; Educational Change; Higher Education; Municipalities; Economics; Medicine; Engineering; Technical Occupations; Governance

Abstract:
The strengths and weaknesses of the discipline-based organization of our professions can help us understand both the enormous successes of our civilization and its equally spectacular failures. Placing engineering and other professions under greater public scrutiny is recommended as a first step toward addressing our deep structural economic, social, and environmental crises. Doing so can facilitate university reforms to adjust the discipline-based approaches to scientific knowing and technical doing, to permit future graduates to make decisions with better ratios of desired to undesired effects. In the meantime, our war on ourselves rages on. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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