The Academy of Information Technology: A New Career Academy Model

A Forum — November 17, 2000

"The IT (Information Technology) Workforce is a national issue. Demand for IT workers will increase by roughly 1.6 million this year, with about half or 840,000 positions unfilled," says forum panel presenter Gregg Betheil, Vice-President of Academy Programs at the National Academy Foundation. America's technology-driven economy will add roughly 20 million IT or IT-related jobs by 2008, and the country must prepare to educate young people to fill those positions. The demand for skilled workers in the IT field has prompted Congress to pass the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act of 2000 (S2045). This Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act and raises the number of H-1B visas (temporary employment visas that allow foreign professionals to work temporarily in the US) issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service from 115,000 to 195,000 for the next three years, said Betheil.

America's leadership in a global economy is at stake and is dependent upon a highly skilled workforce that can juggle technology skills, critical thinking and teamwork. With this in mind, along with a concern over the "digital divide," the National Academy Foundation (NAF) and CORD, two national non-profit organizations, have joined forces to meet the challenge. In 1999, the two organizations formed the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) to develop a long-range and systemic solution. "They are a dream team. Both organizations bring their strengths to the partnership," said one forum participant.

The National Academy Foundation was established in 1989 and designs, encourages and supports career academies. Academies are two-to-four-year programs focused on specific professional fields or trades. NAF develops curriculum with cutting-edge instructional techniques; provides regular technical assistance; and monitors program quality in academies nationwide. The curriculum used by NAF is industry-validated. CORD, based in Waco, TX is a national school reform leader. For over 20 years, CORD has created academic and technical programs that help students learn within the context of real-world applications. CORD’s contextual learning strategies have helped to transform traditional "vocational education" programs into rigorous and innovative courses that have real-life meaning and purpose for young people. CORD is the primary developer of the curriculum, courses, and professional development for AOIT while NAF is building and will sustain the network of academy sites. The partnership between NAF and CORD has created a new system for career and technical education that includes a strategic education plan, through CORD’s curricula; a delivery system, through NAF’s career academies; and training of competent teachers, through their joint professional development program.

The AOIT offers high school students a program that guides them into popular technical career fields, but there is also a focus on developing the entire individual. The AOIT program provides a strong academic foundation; gives students an introduction to the IT field, promotes IT core knowledge as the student moves deeper into the program, and prepares the student for postsecondary education and/or the workplace. Information technology is not handled as an "add on" to academic curriculum, but is integrated at all grade levels into English, math, science, social studies, and foreign languages through what Dow Myers, Project Director for AOIT at CORD, calls "IT Infusion Modules." Workplace skills covered in the program include: communication skills, teamwork, lifelong learning, problem solving, civic responsibility/ethics, customer relations, and project management. Information Technology career areas offered at an AOIT site include interactive digital media, database administration and development, systems support and services, networking and systems integration, and application/software development.

According to Myers, input for AOIT curriculum came from business and industry standards, national and state academic standards and the SCANS employability standards. Panels of educators and industry leaders were convened for input and industry site visits were conducted. The Academy strives to provide real-world context for academic achievement; motivation to stay in school; a level playing field for a diversified student body; selection and foundation for a career pursuit; and preparation for lifelong learning and earning. The AOIT curriculum is based on strong academics and provides opportunities to partner with community colleges and universities. Curriculum materials are delivered to teachers in an online format. Professional development for teachers is provided on-site and through distance instruction and national conferences. The curriculum integrates broad technical knowledge and skills to prepare students for careers in IT and IT-related fields, as well as additional education and training after high school graduation. Students are introduced to the program before 9th grade and are guided by the program beyond high school graduation.

The AOIT program excels beyond many academy programs by virtue of its attention to breadth and depth in each phase of its Tech Prep Curriculum-- throughout high school to postsecondary education. In grades 7-8, students enter the "Pre-Technical" phase where they concentrate on career awareness and exploration, basic academics and discovery sciences and mathematics. Students select a tech prep plan for their time in high school. In grades 9-10, students proceed into the "Tech Prep Foundation Phase" that focuses on contextual academics, career experience and common technical courses. Here students obtain a solid foundation in math, science and communications, and select an occupational cluster in an area such as Health, Business, Technical, etc. In grades 11-12, students enter the phase called "Technical Clusters" where they focus their training, which is still supported by strong academic foundations, on applied academic studies and develop further work-site learning. Students continue to improve their academic foundation, select a technical specialty, and prepare themselves for community college, university or work. Moving into grades 13-14, or community college level, students in the "Technical Specialty Phase" continue their studies with advanced skills, advanced academics and further work experience. Students do work that meets industry standards, obtain advanced skills or complete an apprenticeship, and are ready for work or university.

AOIT is a private sector sponsored initiative both on the national and local levels and is supported entirely by industry grants, an investment currently totaling over $8 million. Companies involved at the national level include: Lucent, Citigroup, AT&T, GTE, AOL, United Technologies, Computer Associates and others. A national advisory committee of employers guides and helps to design and develop the academy's curriculum. Each AOIT site is required to have a local committee of IT employers who review and approve the program and provide paid internships for every student in the summer after the eleventh grade. AOIT has a dozen pilot sites across the U.S. in California, Wisconsin, Texas, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Washington.

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