Topeka, Kan. - No longer is the pencil mightier than the keyboard, but there are benefits to the price of progress. Such was the case in late summer when Chris Mullins, electrical technology instructor, was informed the National Center of Construction Education & Research (NCCER) was now requiring the delivery of curriculum and testing to be exclusively electronic. As a result, the new format doubled the fee per student and boosted the expense to a level beyond the budget. However, a working relationship with an industry leader proved beneficial, when Mike Gibson, of Associated General Contractors of Kansas, offered to donate the $2,025 fee to enable Washburn Tech students to certify via NCCER.
“AGC is proud to have a long-standing partnership with Washburn Tech, which exemplifies the true value of a public-private partnership between education and the construction industry in Kansas,” said Mike Gibson, executive vice president, AGC.
He said the donation of the supplemental funding will enhance the construction craft training programming at Washburn Tech as well as boost the qualifications of entry-level employees in the industry.
To ensure the training curricula meet or exceed industry standards, the new system offers a complete series of journey-level assessments to evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an individual in a specific craft area, said Brad Duncan, of the NCCER customer service team.
“The test questions are now scrambled in order to protect the integrity of our program,” said Brad Duncan, of the NCCER customer service team.
Duncan also noted the virtual system provides multiple versions of each exam and reduces the administrative tasks of scoring that came with paper module testing, which maximizes instructor effectiveness. Also, scores are automatically recorded on the trainee’s record, which ensures accuracy and immediate outcomes.
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For further information:
Lori Hutchinson, 785.670.2199
lori.hutchinson@washburn.edu
