Congratulations to Butte College for securing a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) grant! This exciting new award will create educational pathways that boost Northern California’s rural workforce. The Far North Center of Excellence (COE) was pleased to have provided labor market data to support the college’s successful grant application.

The name of the grant is “Empowering Rural Careers: Engineering Support Technician Certificate Program for Manufacturing Supply Chain, and Food Process Industries in Northern California,” known locally as Project SwifTECH. 

Project SwifTECH is set to strengthen regional economic mobility and competitiveness by preparing students for in-demand technical careers. Partnerships with regional and national industry organizations, including the Grow Manufacturing Initiative of Northern California (GMI), Amatrol eLearning, the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC), and the National Occupational Competencies Institute (NOCTI), will ensure the curriculum is tailored to meet employer needs.

The labor market analysis, prepared by Far North Regional Director Sara Phillips, highlighted the growing demand for engineering technicians with mid-level technical skills across the region. This data played a crucial role in demonstrating the need for more skilled technicians, underscoring the importance of the program to Northern California industries.

Led by co-principal investigators John Dahlgren and Jennifer Bryant, both full-time faculty at Butte College, Project SwifTECH will offer a STEM-based certificate focused on manufacturing, supply chain, and food process industries. Designed for completion in one academic year or less, the program blends technical training with hands-on experience through employer-based internships and mentoring.For more information about the  grant, click Project SwifTECH grant and other NSF awards, click here.