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Publication Sneak Peek
This segment features content from other AAEA publications. The Cutting Edge is a monthly publication available to AACTEA Members. The following excerpt comes from the May 2024 issue.
North Arkansas College To Implement "College Without Walls"
In an effort to meet students where they are, the college is partnering with a trio of school districts to bring college courses to their schools, starting this fall. The cities of Clinton, Jasper, and Marshall have the students and buildings, and the college will provide the teachers.
It is difficult for students in rural areas to travel to the closest colleges for multiple concurrent credits while fulfilling their credits needed for high school graduation. This initiative will keep students from riding buses for hours to access higher education.
North Arkansas College is located in Harrison and offers technical degree programs, one-year technical certificates, certificates of proficiency, customized business and industry training, adult basic education (GED) classes, non-credit community education courses, and online degrees. Typical fall enrollment for North Arkansas College in recent years has been roughly 1,900, including about 700 high students on concurrent enrollment. With this new initiative, it is anticipated that enrollment will increase substantially. Manufacturing is a main area of interest for North Arkansas College students, with the college currently constructing a new building for excellence in manufacturing. Health care, especially radiologic technology, is also an area of particular interest.
Arkansas is Focusing on Cyber Security
Armed with a $5 million federal grant and many interested students, Arkansas’s universities are building a cyberdefense hub and workforce conduit to help counter computer attacks that have impacted school districts. The effort’s main focus will be shielding power systems.
The USDOE Office of Cyber Security, Energy Security & Emergency Response allocated the money to further work at the Emerging Threat Information Sharing & Analysis Center located at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The grant came on top of a $1 million grant announced in 2023.
The focus in Arkansas is to protect businesses, government offices, small electric cooperatives, rural public schools, and other enterprises that lack resources for their own cybersecurity professionals. In addition, cybersecurity fits into the labor market in general. Students in advanced automation technology, manufacturing and construction and building automation can all benefit.
