The BNACTEP-STEM Career Center will assist BNACTEP-STEM participants (and alumni) achieve their educational goal(s) in pursuing a career. The BNACTEP-STEM  Career/Placement Center will assist students and alumni with preparing for life during and after their educational experience at Blackfeet Community College. The BNACTEP-STEM 22 Career/Placement Center concept will be based on (4) plans Life Plan, Cultural Plan, Career Plan, and Education Plan.

The Life Plan will help students develop a strategy and setup goals to follow. 

The Cultural Plan will be a cultural/social assessment that will identify the need for  coping and solving skill. The Cultural Plan will include or address the spirit, emotion, physical and mental state of an individual through cultural values. 

The Career Plan will help the students design a career plan that will be closely followed in work experience and job placement efforts.

The Education Plan will help the students develop skills necessary for employment.

These Plans will help retain students and give them written documents they can use to reflect on as they move through their career plans. Services students receive through the Center will become part of their plans.

These Plans will help retain students and give them written documents they can use to reflect on as they move through their career plans. Services students receive through the Center will become part of their plans. The Career/Placement Center will also provide a variety of basic services that will give students assistance in choosing a major at a university, finding an internship, searching for jobs, applying for jobs, – and everything in between.

The Career/Placement Center will also provide a variety of basic services that will give students assistance in choosing a major at a university, finding an internship, searching for jobs, applying for jobs, – and everything in between.

• Career Decision Making: The Career/Placement Center counselor will help you figure out what career is right for you by using self-assessment tools to examine your values, personality, interests and abilities.

• Career Exploration: The Career/Placement Center will help you learn about various occupations. The counselor will point you toward resources you can use to gather information. Online resources will be maintained for career-related information. Connections with alumni will be maintained and used as a resource to discuss their careers with current students.

• Resume Writing / Cover Letter Writing: The Career/Placement Center will help students write their resumes and cover letters. Resume Writing workshops will be held and assistance with individual resume and cover letter critiques will be available as needed.

• Job Interview Preparation: Workshops to help you learn how to present yourself well on a job interview and Employee/Employer Relations workshops will be offered.

• Job Placement: Job listings will be maintained and posted for easy access for students. These listings will also include part-time job openings and internship opportunities.

Not everyone wants to pursue a degree program, many people are looking to gain job skills in a short time span without having to take extra courses that they cannot afford or do not need for their skill. The design of the BNACTEP-STEM curriculums will provide this target audience the choice of pursuing a certification program to enhance their job skills and the possibility of increasing their wages. The certificate programs are stackable credentials, meaning that the Associate’s degrees can be achieved in one additional year after earning the certificate. The Associate’s degrees are also transferrable. Students can transfer to a four-year institution and pursue a baccalaureate in these fields of study offered by BNACTEP-STEM. With a high number of BCC students receiving PELL, this indicates our target population is low-income and dependent upon financial support to stay in college. Direct assistance for 

BNACTEP-STEM students will be provided to students who have exhausted all resources and is needed to address the barriers to the student’s successful participation in the project. Stipends will be provided to students who participate in Supervised Occupational Experience in the form of their second-year field experience course, and continuing education degree specific workshop trainings held throughout the academic year.

Students enrolled in BNACTEP-STEM certificate or degree programs can apply to receive direct assistance or stipends to participate in a project funded under this program, which will include all five programs of study, One-Year Hydrology Aid Certificate, A.S. Hydrology Technician, One-Year Certificate Records and Information Management, One-Year Tribal Legal Studies Certificate, and A.S. Tribal Legal Studies. 

Students must meet the following requirements for student eligibility:

1) Be enrolled in a career and technical education project funded under BNACTEP-STEM program;

2) Be in regular attendance in a BNACTEP-STEM program and meets BCC published attendance requirements; 

3) Maintain satisfactory progress in his or her program of study according to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress published standards for satisfactory progress defined in Blackfeet Community College’s 2016-2018 Catalog; 

4) Students who have already taken a course and completed the course will not be eligible for a stipend; and

5) Have an acute economic need that

1. Prevents participation in a project funded under this program without a stipend; and
2. Financial needs cannot be met through a work-study program.
3. The student’s financial need statement indicates a need for more financial aid, and the stipend will not exceed the student’s financial need, which will be verified by the Financial Aid Office.

There will be an application form for BNACTEP-STEM students to fill out to be considered a part of the program. The applications will be verified and signed by the Financial Aid Office and BNACTEP-STEM Director. A Financial Needs Assessment will be attached from the Financial Aid Office, indicating a need for the stipend and that the stipend will not put the student over their financial need limit. The applicant will also need to attach their academic transcript that verifies their declared major in the program, BCC education plan for graduation in declared major, course schedule for the academic semester they are applying, signed agreement for stipend, satisfactory academic progress verification form signed by Financial Aid Officer, and certification of Native American lineage.

Associate of Science Hydrology Technician

This program provides students with entry level skills for a career in Hydrology. Hydrology Technicians work closely with professional Hydrologists and or Professional Engineers. The value of the Hydro logic Technicians degree to the hydrology profession is demonstrated every day as they collect data in all weather conditions and environments, ensures the proper collection of more uniform and reliable data. It also helps follow proper quality assurance procedures. Hydrology Technicians or Assistant in Engineering, earth physical or natural science, forestry soil conservation or surveying.

Learning Outcomes are as follows:

• To understand the major theories and practices of Hydrology.
• To be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of essential technical and computational skills in surface and ground water quantification and quality.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of hydrological processes sufficient enough to evaluate data, collected for accuracy; determine variances, and applicability of data to meet organizational hydro logical goals and objectives.

One Year Certificate Hydrology Assistant

This program provides students with they entry level skills for a career in hydrology. This is a career ladder certificate that can lead to an Associate of Science Hydrology: Technician Degree.

Learning Outcomes are as follows:

• To understand the major theories and practices of Hydrology. To have the ability to red GIS/GPS navigation systems.
• To be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of essential technical and computational skills in surface and ground water quantification and quality.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of hydrological processes sufficient enough to evaluate data, collected for accuracy; determine variances, and applicability of data to meet organizational hydro logical goals and objectives

Associate of Science Criminal Justice Legal Studies

The Tribal Legal Studies A.S. Degree is designed to prepare students for a career as a Tribal Legal Advocate. Students will develop the skills necessary for legal research and writing; become familiar with the basics of federal, state and tribal laws, gain an understanding of Native American legal issues; and participate in experiential learning. Students will study tribal court justice systems and the Blackfeet Tribal Code to prepare them for the tribal bar exam. This curriculum is designed to preserve the cultural legal traditions

Learning Outcomes are as follows:

• To develop knowledge and skills related to tribal, state and federal court systems, as well as civil and criminal issues within those court system
• To develop persuasive written and verbal skills that enhance the understanding and ability to convey information.
• To apply knowledge and skills critically in the context of providing tribal legal services, specifically as it relates to tribal law, tribal courts and tribal communities.
• Experiential learning will include mock trials, interviewing, record keeping, and ethical behavior.

One Year Certificate Blackfeet Legal Studies

The Tribal Legal Studies 1-Year Certificate is designed to prepare students for a career as a Tribal Legal Assistant. Students will develop the skills necessary to assist with legal research and writing; gain an understanding of the basics of federal, state, and tribal law; gain an understanding of Native American legal issues; and gain hands-on experience through experiential learning. Also, students will study the Blackfeet Tribal Code to help prepare them to pass the tribal bar exam. This curriculum is designed to preserve the cultural traditions and heritage of the Blackfeet People through integration of the Blackfeet world view.

Learning Outcomes are as follows:

• To develop knowledge and skills related to tribal, state and federal court systems, as well as civil and criminal issues within those court system
• To develop persuasive written and verbal skills that enhance the understanding and ability to convey information.
• To apply knowledge and skills critically in the context of providing tribal legal services, specifically as it relates to tribal law, tribal courts and tribal communities.
• Experiential learning will include mock trials, interviewing, record keeping, and ethical behavior.

Records Information Management

One-Year Certificate provides students with the methods for developing and controlling office records. Organized record keeping is vital to legal, business and other companies that must stay in compliance with regulations in regards to the United States government’s records policy. National record association handbooks will be utilized as part of this curriculum. Along with the Records I and II classes, a Tribal Records course has been developed, which is the first of its kind for Tribal Colleges and Universities. The BCC students will study the first recorded documents with US government. The Tribal Records course begins with the Blackfoot Treaties and Agreements then progresses to Blackfeet Tribal current issues. Included are the records of the Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet) class action lawsuit against the United States

Learning Outcomes are as follows:

• Students will code and arrange lists of personal, business and government names in proper order. Students will know how to apply records and information management principles to transfer information to an electronic database.
• Students will be able to identify federal government records, non-records, and personal papers; organize records into series; apply the inventory process; calculate disposal and transfer dates; and apply a program schedule and the GRS
• Students will research Treaties and Agreements made between the Blackfoot Confederacy and the United States government, specifically the boundaries of the Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet) Reservation and Rights guaranteed in those documents The opportunities that are available in hydrology, records and information management and tribal legal studies are high skill, high wage, and high demand occupations. Prospective  BNACTEP-STEM students will receive industry related credentials in hydrology, RIM, and  tribal legal studies along with certificates and associates degrees. The five curriculums and  industry recognized credentials that will be offered through BNACTEP-STEM were developed  based on the demand for industry-related jobs on the Blackfeet Reservation, regional  opportunities and state-wide opportunities in these areas such as the Blackfeet Water Compact and need expressed by the Blackfeet Tribe.

To provide quality post-secondary education in 5 degree and certificate programs to Native Americans residing on or near the Blackfeet Reservation that prepares them with meaningful employment opportunities in industry-related careers and emerging professions while focusing on STEM related courses.

Objectives:

1. Over the 5-year project period, 60 students will attain industry-recognized credentials, certificates, or degrees in the 5 curriculums that are aligned with challenging academic standards:

• 1. One-year certificate Hydrology Aid; 
  2. Associate of Science Hydrology Technician; 
  3. One-year certificate Records and Information Management;
  4. One-year certificate Tribal Legal Studies;
  5. Associate of Science Tribal Legal Studies.

2. Career guidance, placement services, and academic counseling provided for 100% of BNACTEP-STEM students per year with 50% being placed in employment, additional education, or military.

3. Provide 60% of the BNACTEP students with work-related experience such as supervised occupational experience, on-the-job training experience, and/or field experience.