The Includes Network, a NSF nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, has launched a new podcast series. The series features conversations with thought leaders, activists, and experts who are working to create a more inclusive world.

The podcasts cover a wide range of topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more. Each episode provides listeners with insights and strategies for creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces.

In the first episode, host Dr. Elle Alison talks with Dr. Beverly Tatum, a renowned psychologist and author of the book "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" They discuss the importance of racial identity development and how it relates to creating a more inclusive workplace.

In another episode, Dr. Alison speaks with disability rights activist Judy Heumann about the challenges faced by people with disabilities in the workplace and how employers can create more accessible and inclusive environments.

Other guests include sociologist Dr. Adia Harvey Wingfield, who talks about the experiences of Black...

According to a recent study, stress is a key factor preventing students from enrolling in higher education. The study surveyed over 1,000 students who had considered attending college or university but ultimately chose not to enroll. Of those students, 75% cited stress as a major reason for their decision.

The study also found that financial concerns were a significant deterrent for many students, with 60% stating that the cost of tuition and fees was a major factor in their decision not to attend. Other factors included concerns about student debt, uncertainty about future career prospects, and the challenges of balancing work and school.

The authors of the study suggest that colleges and universities should take steps to address these concerns and make higher education more accessible to a wider range of students. This could include offering more flexible class schedules, providing financial assistance and counseling, and creating a more supportive and welcoming campus culture.

Overall, the study highlights the need for higher education institutions to better understand the needs and concerns of potential students, and to work towards creating a more inclusive and accessible...

CareerOneStop, an online portal for career resources and training, has released a new report titled "SemiNano: Bridging the Gap between Industry and Education." The report highlights the success of the SemiNano project, which aims to address the skills gap between the semiconductor industry and education.

According to the report, SemiNano has developed a competency-based education model that aligns with industry standards and provides students with hands-on training in semiconductor manufacturing. The program has partnered with industry leaders to provide students with real-world experience and prepare them for careers in the field. 

The report features case studies from several community colleges and universities that have implemented the SemiNano model. These institutions have seen significant improvements in student outcomes, including higher job placement rates and increased student engagement.

The SemiNano project has received funding from the National Science Foundation and has already impacted hundreds of students across the country. With the demand for skilled workers in the semiconductor industry on the rise, the success of this program serves as a promising example of...

Connect with colleagues and update your knowledge and skills at HI-TEC this year!

HI-TEC is a national conference on advanced technological education where secondary and postsecondary educators, counselors, industry professionals, trade organizations, and technicians can update their knowledge and skills. Charged with preparing America’s skilled technical workforce, the event focuses on the preparation needed by the existing and future workforce for companies in the high-tech sectors that drive our nation’s economy.

The annual conference is perfect for: 

• Community College and University Educators
• High School Educators
• Workforce Development Advocates
• Trade Organizations
• Industry Professionals
• Technicians

This year's conference will be held at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center, July 24–27. Pre-conference events will be held July 24–25. Read more and register on the HI-TEC website! 

Join CAST for a free webinar with experts on implementing UDL! 

Learn how to support all of your students, including those who are not performing up to their potential. As the founders of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), CAST is world renowned for its innovative professional development. Let us help your teachers build the pedagogical skills they need to support their under-performing students and help you to build school- and district-wide systems that will support your teachers!

This informative webinar about CAST’s Professional Learning model could start your school or district on its journey to improved teaching and learning.

The webinar is Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 4:00PM – 5:00PM ET. Register here!

A unique and amazing partnership between four centers led to the development of this brief on connecting Implementation, Equity Inquiries, Universal Design for Learning, and Multi-Tiered System of Support. This brief explains how four important system design initiatives frequently promoted by state and local education agencies for school improvement can be implemented through an intentional systematic approach for a powerful, positive impact on student outcomes.

The brief, titled Increasing Equity in Education through Stage-based Implementation of Universal Design for Learning in a Multi-Tiered System of Support, comes from the SWIFT Schools, Great Lakes Equity/MAP Center, National Implementation Research Network (NIRN), and State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices Center (SISEP). 

Read or download. the full brief on the SISEP website!

The world's fleet of electric vehicles grew to over 6 million units last year. Within a decade, there will be enough electric cars on the road for every person in California, as global electric vehicle ownership is estimated to reach 20 million units by 2025. Learn more about electric cars at the Electric Vehicles Battery Tech USA 2023 Exhibition and Conference, March 6-7 in at the Hyatt Regency Orange County, California. 

A new report from the Managing the Future of Work Project at the Harvard Business School found that many people training and applying for jobs remain ill-equipped to enter the workforce. Report co-author, Manjari Raman, said to NPR: 

"Businesses thought it's enough to sit in advisory councils at the local community college. Very often the people on those councils are retired small business owners. You're not really seeing engagement from large employers … going to a community college and saying, ‘Look, I need about 50 or 60 or maybe 500 people to come and work for me. Here is the kind of workforce readiness I need. This is what I need in the curriculum.'"

The report says that communication is lacking between employers and community colleges. The report states that critical middle-skills positions are unfilled resulting in revenues are lost, and customers are dissatisfied. At the same time, some students come out of the community college system only to find that they are unemployable in their field of study or at a living wage. Employers do not find them “workforce ready” and capable of carrying out the more sophisticated technology-promoted tasks associated with middle-skills...

A new report from NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) provides high-level insights from multiple data sources into the diversity of the STEM workforce in the United States. Some key takeaways were concerning workforce, education, and degrees were: 

• The U.S. STEM workforce gradually diversified between 2011 and 2021, with increased representation of women and underrepresented minorities
• Persons with a disability who worked part time in an STEM-related occupation in 2021 reported wanting to work full time at about twice the rate of those without a disability
• Underrepresented minorities—Hispanic, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native individuals—made up a higher share of the skilled technical workforce in 2021 than of workers who were employed in STEM occupations with at least a bachelor’s degree
• In 2020, women were underrepresented among degree recipients at all degree levels in physical and earth sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering

The full report can be accessed on the NSF website.