East Carolina University and Wake Technical Community College Sign Major Deal to Strengthen NC Workforce - RALEIGH, N.C.

East Carolina University and Wake Technical Community College Sign Major Deal to Strengthen NC Workforce
Posted: 04-10-2007 : RALEIGH, N.C.

RALEIGH - East Carolina University and Wake Technical Community College signed a formal agreement that will help meet the needs of North Carolina's workforce. The agreement enables students who earn a two-year Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree to turn it into a bachelor's degree. For years, an AAS degree was considered to be terminal, meaning it couldn't be transferred into any other type of degree. So, an AAS graduate had no real options to advance their education to achieve a four-year degree without basically starting completely from scratch.

ECU's College of Technology and Computer Science created a curriculum that allows AAS degree graduates in an industrial or technology-driven field to transfer credit hours and complete a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT) degree. With the signing of the agreement, Wake Tech will be the first major contributing educational institution to participate in the BSIT program with 23 AAS degrees available to be transferred, including:

Mechanical Engineering Technology -- Landscape Architecture Technology
Web Technologies -- Electrical/Electronics Technology
Automotive Systems Technology -- Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology
Computer Information Technology -- Information Systems Technology

"This agreement is nothing short of revolutionary in that it lifts long-standing constraints on those with 2-year technical degrees," said Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech. "For the first time, they can resume the pursuit of higher education while upgrading credentials and increasing earning power."

As partners, faculty and staff from East Carolina and Wake Tech will work with AAS students and graduates to ensure that they are taking the proper general education and technical courses to transfer into the BSIT degree completion program.

East Carolina has also provided a tremendous benefit for students joining the BSIT program which is five of the seven available concentrations are offered online through the Distance Education program. No other college or university in the state offers the capability to turn an AAS degree into a bachelor's degree online, thus providing unbelievable flexibility to working adults who can take the course at a time and place that is most convenient for their lifestyle.

This collaborative effort between East Carolina and Wake Tech has strengthened ECU's distance education program, which exceeds well over 4,000 students and continues to pave the way for meeting the needs of working professionals in eastern North Carolina and throughout the state.

"North Carolina must be capable of competing in a global economy," said Dr. Ralph Rogers, dean of ECU's College of Technology and Computer Science. "The BSIT program creates a pathway to cultivate a strong technology based workforce, through life long learning opportunities."

About East Carolina University:
For nearly a century, East Carolina University has served the people of North Carolina and the nation. From modest beginnings as a teacher training school, ECU has grown to become an emerging, national research university with an enrollment of more than 23,000. East Carolina is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina and offers 106 bachelor's degree programs, 71 master's degree programs, 4 specialist degree programs, 1 first-professional MD program, and 16 doctoral programs in our professional colleges and schools, the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, and the Brody School of Medicine. With a mission of teaching, research, and service, East Carolina University is a dynamic institution connecting people and ideas, finding solutions to problems, and seeking the challenges of the future.

East Carolina University. Tomorrow starts here.

About Wake Technical Community College:
Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) is a two-year, public institution providing an open door to education and training for the citizens of Wake County and surrounding communities. Known as "College for the Real World," the college provides a comprehensive array of learning opportunities and serves an annual enrollment of more than 57,000 students. Curriculum (for-credit) pro*grams in more than 168 academic, vocational, and technical specialties offer two-year associate degrees in science, applied science, the arts, and general education; university transfer programs for entry into four-year institutions; and diploma and certificate programs that prepare workers to succeed at jobs in high demand in the community. Wake Tech also offers a broad scope of continuing education courses, including training for entrepreneurs and small business owners, public safety officer training (fire, rescue, and law enforcement), high school equivalency classes, and non-credit courses for personal and professional development. As the second largest community college in the state, Wake Tech provides customized workforce training for new and expanding industries and a cooperative education program that interfaces with the corporate community.

To learn more about the BSIT program or the agreement between East Carolina University and Wake Technical Community College, log on to www.ecu.edu or www.waketech.edu.

Contacts:
Chris Stansbury, ECU College of Technology and Computer Science (252) 328-9611
Laurie Clowers, Wake Technical Community College (919) 662-3455