ABSTRACT
In northwest Florida, advanced manufacturing (AM) jobs far outpace the middle-skilled technician workforce, though AM constitutes almost a quarter of the region's total employment. From 2018-2028, of the available 4.6 million manufacturing jobs, less than half are likely to be filled due to talent shortages. This widening “skills gap” is attributed to many factors that range from new technologies in the AM industry (e.g., artificial intelligence, robotics), a need for newer recruiting methods, branding, and incentives in AM educational programs. Some professionals have even indicated that manufacturing industries and AM educational programs should be aligned more to reflect the needs of the industry. Even in the wake of Covid-19, when there have been over 658,000 manufacturing jobs lost due to market conditions, many states still have jobs that go unfilled further suggesting that there are challenges in filling AM technician positions. In a time when technicians in AM are in high demand and the number of graduates are in low supply, it is critical to identify whether AM education is meeting the needs of new professionals in the workforce and what they believe can be improved in these programs. This is especially true in rural locales, where economies with manufacturing industries are much more reliant on them. In the context of a NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE), through a multi-method approach, we sought to understand: 1) Which AM competencies skills did participants report as benefiting them in gaining employment? 2) Which competencies are needed on the job to be a successful AM technician? 3) What are the ways in which AM preparation can be improved to enhance employment outcomes? This study's results will expand the research base and curriculum content recommendations for regional AM education, as well as build regional capacity for AM program assessment and improvement by replicating, refining, and disseminating study approaches through further research, annual AM employer and educator meetings, and annual research skill-building academies in which stakeholders transfer research findings to practices and policies that empower rural NW Florida colleges. To date, research efforts have demonstrated that competency perceptions of faculty, employers, and new professionals have notable misalignments that have opportunities for AM program curriculum revision and enhancement. This paper summarizes five years of research output, emphasizing the impactful findings and dissemination products for ASEE community members, as well as opportunities for further research. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
ABSTRACT
Background: In Ireland, the transition process is ad hoc with no formal guidelines on how to conduct transition clinics. This nurse-led project, aimed to develop a specific young person clinic for adolescents and provide information to adolescents and their families on the service they were joining, before their first clinic visit, subsequently reducing anxiety and improving outcomes. Providing the right care for young people with IBD, in the right place, at the right time, where the patient is a priority, is the end goal. Methods: The successful implementation of this project is due to the collaborative work of a multidisciplinary team using the Health Service Executive (HSE), Peoples Needs Defining Change Guide (2018). This change model provides clear definitive steps to Define, Design and Deliver innovative projects. The model was applied as follows: Define Raise awareness of the need for adolescent clinic Activate a core change team Develop a vision in line with the organisational culture Design Propose a care pathway for adolescents including transition. Design an informative 'Welcome Booklet' Arrange Virtual Meet and Greet (due to Covid restrictions) Deliver Open communication with all relevant stakeholders Determine a time suitable for recurring adolescent clinic Seek input from patients, colleagues and communication team to develop an informative 'Welcome Booklet' Results: The CIPP evaluation model, Context, Input, Process and Product, complimented this change model as formative evaluation throughout. This ensured the change process was streamlined with the values and vision of all stakeholders involved. Context -SWOT analyses was undertaken, and Goals defined Input - Strategy was defined and stakeholder analyses Process -Monthly MDT meetings, design model of care, welcome booklet. Plan virtual introductory meetings due to Covid unable to meet face to face in the paediatric hospital Product - Dedicated recurring clinic time for 16-24-year-olds with IBD to include transition clinics. 100% of parents and 80% of adolescents found the welcome booklet informative and useful. 100% both adolescents and parents found the introductory WebEx meeting beneficial. Commenced RCT to look at best format for transition clinics going forward Conclusion: (HSE), Peoples Needs Defining Change Guide (2018) provided the essential toolkit to ensure leadership, teamwork, the importance of stakeholders while keeping the patient central to all decisions made in developing young person's clinics for 16-24-year-olds with IBD.
ABSTRACT
Background: Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) often have complex health needs compounded by difficulty accessing healthcare. Liver disease is the third commonest cause for death in PEH after accidents and suicides. Some studies have identified chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in up to 50% of this population. Alcohol disorders are also extremely common. Methods: From June 2018, a weekly Hepatology clinic was co-located with a primary care clinic serving a population of 2,500 PEH. Blood borne virus testing, near patient HCV RNA testing, transient elastography and antiviral drug dispensing for Hepatitis B and C was introduced. All patients with HCV were treated in line with national guidelines. Results: Between the period of June 2018 and November 2020, 326 patients were reviewed within the Hepatology clinic. A total of 1,236 appointments were offered with 632 attendances (51.1%). 241 patients were referred due to a positive HCV Ab test. 193 were HCV RNA positive (80%), 30 RNA negative (12.4%) and 19 had unknown HCV RNA status. Transient elastography was performed on 138 with 31 having advanced fibrosis (22.4%). Those patients with advanced fibrosis were referred into secondary Hepatology care to begin HCC surveillance monitoring. Treatment was initiated on 101/193 HCV RNA positive patients. 93 patients were receiving opiate substitution therapy. 65% had a co-existing mental health diagnosis whilst 24% had an alcohol intake that was a contributing factor to their liver disease, 2% were coinfected with Hepatitis B and C and 3% were co-infected with both Hepatitis C and HIV. The genotypes were 44 G1a;3 G1b;6 G2;34 G3;1 G4 and 13 unknown. There is a high rate of sustained virological response (SVR) being achieved with 61 patients having achieved SVR (82%). 13 patients needed to re-start treatment. 37 have SVR 12 pending. 3 patients have relapsed. Of the remaining 92 known RNA positive patients within the clinic, 40 identified within our service have been treated elsewhere during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 24 SVR blood tests were performed for the patients treated in other locations. 21 patients are approved to start treatment and active attempts are being made to re-engage these patients, this also includes outreach work to the locations were people sleep rough. 9 are awaiting genotyping and transient elastography. 5 are no longer patients of the primary care clinic and attempts have been made to arrange onward referrals to Hepatology services in their new locations and 5 patients have died. Conclusion: Persons experiencing homelessness often have difficulty accessing healthcare. By facilitating access to Hepatology services tailored to their needs at a site where they access primary care and receive opiate substitution therapy, favourable SVR rates can be achieved with significant risk reduction.