The Architectural Engineering Technology Applied Research Assistant Program at theBluefield State College Center for Applied Research and Technology

摘要

The paper highlights the development of the Bluefield State College (BSC), Center for AppliedResearch and Technology (CART), Applied Research Assistant (ARA) program to provideteams of Architectural Engineering Technology (ARET) students with in-house internshipexperience. The primary goal of the a ARA Program is to provide valuable real project workexperiences to students, while allowing professionals to obtain specific limited services atsubstantially reduced costs, while freeing their staff to perform more complex activities in theoffice. The ARA Program was designed to provide a wide range of services to localprofessionals and businesses in the region. Anticipated services that will be available include;architectural design and drafting, graphic services, existing conditions drawings for buildingrenovations, 'as-built' drawings for completed projects, and product research. These servicesare intended to provide assistance in short duration projects, under the direct supervision ofarchitects, professional engineers and industrial managers.As identified in the ARET Department's TAC-ABET Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP),program outcomes have been devised to describe what graduates of a degree program will beable to demonstrate and know when they graduate. The skills and abilities identified in theprogram outcomes are measures of the quality of the program and can have a significant impacton the validity of the degree. Professional experience through an internship program, whetherconducted in an office or through a program such as this, can enhance a student's understandingof the career field and practice, ultimately creating a better quality student. The process ofobtaining professional internships in a rural area is significantly more difficult than in largerurban areas. Economic conditions in the state and region have magnified this problem. Theinitial contacts with professional offices and industries in the region have identified severalcompanies who are interested in contracting for the services provided in this program.The research will analyze the levels of student capability to provide independent and supervisedservices. Cost analysis will include contractile agreements; hourly rates and contract amounts.Initial projects have experienced success by improving some aspects of a companies operation.Companies will also benefit from access to an excited student labor pool.