(a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grade 12. The practicum course is a paid or unpaid capstone experience for students participating in a coherent sequence of career and technical education courses in the Manufacturing Career Cluster. Corequisite: Practicum in Manufacturing. This course must be taken concurrently with Practicum in Manufacturing and may not be taken as a stand-alone course. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course. A student may repeat this course once for credit provided that the student is experiencing different aspects of the industry and demonstrating proficiency in additional and more advanced knowledge and skills.
(b) Introduction.
  (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.
  (2) The Manufacturing Career Cluster focuses on planning, managing, and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance, and manufacturing/process engineering.
  (3) The Extended Practicum in Manufacturing course is designed to give students supervised practical application of previously studied knowledge and skills. Practicum experiences can occur in a variety of locations appropriate to the nature and level of experience.
  (4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.
  (5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
  (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to:
    (A) participate in a paid or unpaid, laboratory- or work-based application of previously studied knowledge and skills related to manufacturing;
    (B) participate in training, education, or preparation for licensure, certification, or other relevant credentials to prepare for employment;
    (C) demonstrate professional standards and personal qualities needed to be employable such as self-discipline, positive attitude, integrity, leadership, appreciation for diversity, customer service, work ethic, and adaptability with increased fluency;
    (D) use personal information management, email, Internet, writing and publishing, presentation, and spreadsheet or database applications with increased fluency;
    (E) employ teamwork and conflict-management skills with increased fluency to achieve collective goals; and
    (F) employ planning and time-management skills and tools with increased fluency to enhance results and complete work tasks.
  (2) The student implements advanced professional communications strategies. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate verbal and non-verbal communication consistently in a clear, concise, and effective manner;
    (B) analyze, interpret, and effectively communicate information, data, and observations;
    (C) observe and interpret verbal and nonverbal cues and behaviors to enhance communication; and
    (D) apply active listening skills to obtain and clarify information.
  (3) The student applies concepts of critical thinking and problem solving. The student is expected to:
    (A) employ critical-thinking skills with increased fluency both independently and in groups to solve problems and make decisions;
    (B) analyze elements of a problem to develop creative and innovative solutions; and
    (C) conduct technical research to gather information necessary for decision making.
  (4) The student understands and applies proper safety techniques in the workplace. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate an understanding of and consistently follow workplace safety rules and regulations; and
    (B) demonstrate knowledge of procedures for reporting and handling accidents and safety incidents.
  (5) The student understands the professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities in teaching and training. The student is expected to:
    (A) demonstrate a positive, productive work ethic by performing assigned tasks as directed;
    (B) apply ethical reasoning to a variety of situations in order to make ethical decisions; and
    (C) comply with all applicable rules, laws, and regulations in a consistent manner.
  (6) The student participates in a manufacturing experience. The student is expected to:
    (A) conduct, document, and evaluate learning activities in a supervised manufacturing experience;
    (B) develop advanced technical knowledge and skills related to the student's occupational objective;
    (C) demonstrate growth of technical skill competencies;
    (D) evaluate strengths and weaknesses in technical skill proficiency; and
    (E) collect representative work samples.

Source Note: The provisions of this §130.367 adopted to be effective August 28, 2017, 41 TexReg 614