Creating a Community-based Human Infrastructure Group in Blair County to Support a Diverse Workforce: An Action Research Project Eileen M. Trauth, Ph.D.* Sherri McGregor** Jennifer deCoste*** Jeria L. Quesenberry* *College of IST, Penn State University Park **Continuing Education & Training, Penn State Altoona ***Office of Institutional Equity & Diversity, Penn State Altoona

Background Transition from traditional agrarian and industrial economies to knowledge-intensive, technology-enable economies Need for an available talent-pool or human infrastructure to support transition Appropriately educated workforce Compatible local cultural climate Global diversity skills and experiences

Transition from traditional agrarian and industrial economies to knowledge-intensive, technology-enable economies

Need for an available talent-pool or human infrastructure to support transition

Appropriately educated workforce

Compatible local cultural climate

Global diversity skills and experiences

Motivation To help local business in Blair County: Understand the connection between diversity and economic development Address the barriers to greater workforce diversity that exist in the regional area Blair County, Pennsylvania

To help local business in Blair County:

Understand the connection between diversity and economic development

Address the barriers to greater workforce diversity that exist in the regional area

Research Objectives Conduct fieldwork in local businesses to assess the level of diversity awareness and training needs Inform the development of Human Infrastructure committee interventions Inform the development and assessment of a Penn State Altoona educational program

Conduct fieldwork in local businesses to assess the level of diversity awareness and training needs

Inform the development of Human Infrastructure committee interventions

Inform the development and assessment of a Penn State Altoona educational program

Research Design Phase 1: Awareness & Educational Needs Assessment Phase 2: Curricular Planning

Phase 1:

Awareness & Educational Needs Assessment

Phase 2:

Curricular Planning

Results to Date Phase 1: Awareness & Educational Needs Assessment Meetings with ABCD Corporation, Penn State Altoona, the Human Infrastructure Committee Interviews with community members, business leaders and executives

Phase 1: Awareness & Educational Needs Assessment

Meetings with ABCD Corporation, Penn State Altoona, the Human Infrastructure Committee

Interviews with community members, business leaders and executives

Planned Activities Phase 2: Curricular Planning Analysis of existing Penn State Continuing Education resources and courses Analysis of educational best practices Analysis of fieldwork data Curricular recommendations to fill gaps

Phase 2: Curricular Planning

Analysis of existing Penn State Continuing Education resources and courses

Analysis of educational best practices

Analysis of fieldwork data

Curricular recommendations to fill gaps

Contact Information Eileen M. Trauth, Ph.D. [email_address] Professor of Information Sciences and Technology Director of the Center for the Information Society College of Information Sciences and Technology The Pennsylvania State University http://cis.ist.psu.edu

Eileen M. Trauth, Ph.D.

[email_address]

Professor of Information Sciences and Technology

Director of the Center for the Information Society

College of Information Sciences and Technology

The Pennsylvania State University

http://cis.ist.psu.edu