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The first IBEW graduates of the Pace University/NACTEL online learning program received their associates degree in telecommunications technology this year. On May 20, the 2002 NACTEL graduation ceremonies were held on the PACE campus in White Plains, New York. Three IBEW members were among the 22 students who graduated in May. This year marks the programs second graduating class. The innovative NACTEL (National Coalition for Telecommunications
Education and Learning) program was created by the IBEW and the
NACTEL company partners include Verizon, SBC, Qwest and Citizens/Frontier. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) assisted in development of the program and serves as project administrator. Courses are taught entirely online by nationally accredited Pace University. More than 600 students have enrolled in NACTEL since its inception in 1999.
IBEW graduate Jesse Diaz, age 25, a facility technician/splicer at Verizon and a member of Local 827, East Windsor, New Jersey, attended the graduation ceremony. Also graduating in the class of 2002 were IBEW members: Steven Sestito of Local 824, Tampa, Florida, age 30, who works with Verizon as a Sweetwater Central Office technician; and Samuel Rash, age 50, a retired Local 21, Downers Grove, Illinois, member who worked with Ameritech as a customer assistant technician. Students not attending the graduation in person could view the ceremonies live via a streaming video web-cast, which was also available through a link on the IBEW web site. To view the video of the 2002 graduation ceremony, click on http://csis.pace.edu/nactel. Diaz spoke with enthusiasm of NACTELs benefits for working adults in the telecom industry. "This program has done more for me that I could have possibly thought," he said. "I signed up for [another] course my company offers on digital technology. The first day we did logic gates and binary math I breezed through it, thanks to my NACTEL class."
Sestito said he liked the fact that he could do the course from home, on his own schedule, "without the hassle of driving to class" at a set time. "The course was challenging at times, but between instructors and classmates there was always help with problems," Sestito said. "I believe this degree in telecommunications will help me perform my present job better and allow me to advance with Verizon." Many adult students see online learning as the wave of the future in the fast-paced telecom industry, and some graduates have already achieved professional advancement as a result of their NACTEL studies. One student, Rosalinda Perez, attributes her steady promotions at SBC to her commitment to succeed and her participation in the program. "Its a great way to advance in the telecom industry. When I started I was a service rep," Perez said. "Today Im a regulatory and appeals manager and Ive increased my salary by 20 percent. My ongoing studies in the NACTEL program helped me a lot in getting the promotion."
Convenience and Flexibility NACTEL is geared toward working adults, allowing them to hold full-time jobs while completing an associates degree or certificate program. Students can access their instructor-led online courses 24-7 from any location with Internet access, making the program flexible and convenient. The program has five start dates each year. The curriculum offers training for real jobs and also meets academic requirements so credits are transferable for a four-year degree. Students can receive credit for prior learning. "The power of NACTEL is that students can hold full-time jobs, while gaining the ability to stay on top of rapid changes in technology, products and services, supporting one another and strengthening their knowledge and experience base," said David Sachs, associate dean and co-director of the Pace University/NACTEL program. "It directly addresses the shortfall of trained technicians. And because the courses were developed with the input of their employers and unions, students have the advantage of applying their learning directly toward their jobs." Courses are continually upgraded to reflect the latest developments in the ever-changing industry. The current NACTEL program offers an associates degree in Applied Information Technology-Telecommunications and two certificate programs, Introduction to Telecommunications and Telecommunications Essentials. The NACTEL project was initiated in 1997 and a pilot program began in January 1999. Since January 2000 the program has been open to anyone. [See "Telecom Degree Program Opens Its Virtual Doors," p. 14, IBEW Journal, October 1999.] The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation provided the initial funding for the program.
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To learn more about the online Pace University/NACTEL studies program, as well as to register, visit the NACTEL web site www.nactel.org.
To address the critical shortage of telecommunications technicians, NACTEL offers the following programsdelivered entirely online:
Since January 2000, the NACTEL program has been open to anyone. IBEW members receive discounted tuition and may be eligible to have their tuition paid through company plans. |
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