IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin Launches E-Learning And Training ‘Collaboratory Work Force Development and Community Development’

ELT Labs, Co-directed by Dr. George Kozmetsky & Dr. Alex Cavalli,
Launches Web-Based Job Training Program called EnterTech

The IC2 Institute at the University of Texas at Austin is expanding its
international, multi- disciplinary "think-and-do" tank to include
E-Learning & Training Labs. ELT Labs is a "collaboratory" (laboratory
without walls) that brings together transdisciplinary teams from
academia, business and all levels of government to research and develop
leading-edge workforce development, training and learning programs.

The first initiative to come from ELT Labs is the Web-based training
program, EnterTech, designed to primarily help at-risk youth and the
working poor enter and succeed in today’s competitive workforce. "With
the creation of ELT Labs, IC2 is shifting its focus to the new economy,
which is based on the growth of knowledge within individuals," said Dr.
Robert Ronstadt, director of the institute. "The global marketplace is
demanding highly trained and knowledgeable workers who are adaptable to
the rapidly changing technological, economic, political and cultural
landscape, The ELT Labs collaboratory will focus on identifying leading
edge economic issues, quickly finding solutions and creating
self-sustaining business models that other research and development
institutes can utilize."

"Breakthroughs in technology are what generate the prosperity and
higher- paying jobs of the future," said Dr. George Kozmetsky, principal
investigator of ELT Labs and founder of the institute. "ELT Labs’ main
goal will be to empower local communities to shape their own futures
through dynamic civic entrepreneurships that form 21st century
partnerships for economic development."

The EnterTech Program is designed to help improve the economic
environment by creating a larger pool of skilled applicants for
employers and by increasing career opportunities for those who are
displaced or disadvantaged. In June 1998, Dr. Kozmetsky and his team of
e-Learning instructional technologists received a three-year, $2.1
million grant from the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas to
develop the EnterTech Program, with grant oversight by the Texas
Workforce Commission. EnterTech assembled a transdisciplinary coalition
of more than 80 members from academia, business and government to ensure
that EnterTech graduates receive the basic job skills and personal
growth and development skills that employers demand. Coalition members
include 3M, Dell, IBM, Samsung and Texas Instruments.

"Our nation’s future depends on our ability to continue to sustain and
grow our economy. A critical component of this is a motivated and
skilled workforce," said Dr. Alex Cavalli, Collaboratory Research
Scientist at ELT Labs. The EnterTech Program helps employers by
teaching employability skills such as responsibility, dependability,
positive work attitudes, teamwork and communications skills that result
in higher productivity and retention rates. The program uses
blended-learning techniques that result in higher outcomes, and focuses
on helping the disadvantaged individuals that live below poverty-levels
in the U.S.

"The EnterTech Program is the most unique and engaging curriculum for
teaching work maturity and occupational skills I have discovered in my
20 years of working in the workforce development arena," said David
Lozano, workforce development director, Near Northside Partners Council,
Fort Worth, Texas. "Since we first began using the EnterTech program
almost two years ago, it has become an integral component in all my
workforce programs — including programs serving limited English
speakers, at-risk youth and job seekers with limited work experience."
The EnterTech Program, which has been awarded the eTexas Commission’s
"Best Practice Award" and "Education That Works" endorsement, is
operating in 10 Texas cities. ELT Labs will further leverage its
collaboratory resources to commercialize the EnterTech Program within
other countries. EnterTech Spanish is now in production.

~ ELT Labs
http://www.eltlabs.org/

~ ELT E-Learning Programs
http://www.eltlabs.org/programs/index.html

~ EnterTech
http://www.entertech.org/

~ EnterTech’s Performance Metrics
http://www.entertech.org/about/outcomes.html

~ Online Learning e-News
http://www.vnulearning.com

~ E-Learning Magazine
http://www.elearningmag.com