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In
the information and knowledge economies of the 21st century,
we all increasingly depend on information and communications
technologies - and the increased connectivity and productivity
they enable.
Information and Communications
Technologies (ICT) is an umbrella term, widely used outside
the United States and in the United Nations, to encompass all
rapidly emerging, evolving and converging computer, software,
networking, telecommunications, Internet, programming and
information systems technologies.
Improvements to
deployed ICT technologies, infrastructure, systems and
solutions, and people’s abilities to productively use them,
are strategically important issues to individuals and
organizations of all kinds – and to local, state, national and
global economies.
To enhance education initiatives in
this field, the
National
Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE)
program has awarded a 4 year, $3 million
grant to establish the Mid-Pacific ICT (MPICT) Center, at
City College of
San Francisco.
Steven Ruggiero, IT Operations Director at Facebook
keynote address
Winter ICT Educator Conference
MPICT’s mission is to coordinate, promote and improve the
quality of ICT education, with an emphasis on 2-year colleges,
in a region consisting of northern California, northern
Nevada, southern Oregon, Hawaii and the Pacific Territories.
To accomplish this mission, MPICT launched with 4 Regional
Partner schools:
Ohlone College,
Cabrillo College,
Foothill College and
Santa Rosa Junior College, which together with City
College of San Francisco’s
Computer Networking and Information Technologies (CNIT)
and
Computer Science (CS) departments, represent the San
Francisco Bay Area. In the Fall of 2009, MPICT added a
new Regional Partner school,
Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV, which adds
connections to ICT programs at all 4 Nevada community colleges
through the NSF funded
NVITE project.
In the Fall of 2010, a sixth Regional Partner College representing Hawaii,
Kapi'olani Community College,
was added.
MPICT endeavors
to:
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Champion the
importance of ICT
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Build
collaborative relationships with the rich ICT industry
resources of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley
to improve ICT education
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Coordinate
efforts to harmonize, improve and communicate educational
and career pathways and experiences in ICT
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Expand and
diversify the skilled ICT workforce
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