Jan Swinton, Associate Dean, Instruction & Workforce Development
1500 N Verdugo Rd Glendale, CA 91208
818-240-1000 x5158,
jswinton@glendale.edu
Description:
The goal of the
practice is to encourage greater numbers of women to enroll in
Electronics Technology courses, including Robotics – as well as
pursue certificates and degrees. Glendale’s Workforce Development
program is an active coalition member in a partnership consisting of
three local high schools and the College. One of the coalition’s
many joint projects has been the development and support of
competitive teams participating in FIRST Robotic competitions (
www.usfirst.org/index.html).
Glendale College hired a female instructor to teach Electronics
Technology at a local high school to support the coalition’s FIRST
team, and also to act indirectly as a role model for young women
interested in learning electronics. The instructor was also hired
for the College’s Division of Technology/Electronics and Computer
Technology. She subsequently formed a Robotics Club that meets on
campus every week, and is coordinating the first “Race a R.A.T.”
(Rapid Automated Technology) competition involving both technical
and academic faculty and students. The R.A.T. competition is a team
effort to navigate an electronic vehicle through a complex
course/maze in the shortest amount of time possible.