TSTC, The IC² Institute and VentureRAMP, Inc. announced the publication today of, “M2M: The Wireless Revolution,” a major study conducted for the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) by IC² Institute in Austin. This forecast is the sixth in a series of reports forecasting emerging technologies and the types of technical education programs that are needed to maintain and improve Texas’ economic and technical competitiveness. “M2M: The Wireless Revolution” catalogs the industries, markets, technologies and workforce need of this budding industry and implications to Texas technical colleges and universities.
The report will be of interest to students, teachers, policy makers, economic development officials, academic administrators, M2M industry businesses and investors. “The most compelling discovery of the report is the emergence of a fourth generation of computing defined as a system on a chip with a single platform for power, communications and computing.” says Jim Brazell, principal analyst.
“M2M is an acronym for Machine-to-Machine computing and both fourth generation and M2M involve networking physical, chemical, biological and neurological objects, systems and environments. Applications of M2M and fourth generation computing span virtually every industry and market.”
Highlights of the forecast include recommendations to Texas educators who wish to develop curricula and analysis of the global US$100 billion industry in 2005 forecast to grow to US $700 billion by 2010. The report describes M2M technologies for a lay audience, identifies the emerging and promising markets, and identifies the resources Texas can draw upon to play a leading role in this increasingly competitive arena. Based on more than 100 interviews and an M2M industry survey, as well as secondary sources, the report outlines human capital needs of M2M companies over the next three to five years, and how technical and community colleges can best meet those needs through targeted curricula and transdisciplinary learning environments. By anticipating workforce demands, college curriculum offerings can be a constructive force in attracting high-tech companies to the state and ensuring that existing high-tech companies continue to have appropriately skilled employees.
The mandate for TSTC reports came in 1999 from the Texas State Senate in SB1819. In 2001, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provided funding to TSTC to develop a process, later called the Program for Emerging Technologies (PET). About PET TSTC’s Programs for Emerging Technologies (PET) identifies, evaluates and forecasts potential emerging technology programs which are likely to have a positive impact on the State's economy. This research is intended to increase awareness of specific emerging technical programs and proactively advance the development of applicable high-technology curriculum in Texas community and technical colleges. By doing so, PET hopes to enhance the economic competitiveness of Texas and ensure a competitively skilled workforce for future Texas employers. See www.forecasting.tstc.edu for more information.
About Texas State Technical College
The Texas State Technical College System consists of four colleges: TSTC Harlingen, TSTC Marshall, TSTC Waco and TSTC West Texas which has campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater. TSTC colleges are among the top 10 colleges in the nation to confer associate degrees in computer and information sciences and support services, and science technologies/technicians. TSTC Harlingen is ranked in the top 15 in Texas for graduating Hispanic students in all associate’s degrees and TSTC Waco holds the honor of being the number one college in the state for both associate’s degrees conferred in computer and information sciences and support services, and engineering-related technologies/technicians. TSTC also provides technical education and training to business and industry, continuing education to the public, and training programs for community and state economic development. More than 11,000 students attend TSTC each year in credit programs alone, and that number grows to nearly 24,000 when short-term continuing education and workforce development programs are included. For more information, visit TSTC on the web at www.tstc.edu or call (800) 792-8784).
About The IC²
Institute The Institute for Innovation, Creativity, and Capital (IC²) at The University of Texas at Austin is an international, transdisciplinary "Think and Do" tank devoted to solving unstructured problems to accelerate wealth and job creation and shared prosperity at home and abroad. As a research unit, IC² is focused on knowledge exploration, dissemination, and application, across a broad range of academic and applied areas. See the IC² web site www.ic2.org for more information.
About VentureRAMP, Inc.
VentureRAMP is a technology commercialization and market research firm based in San Antonio and Austin. The company’s web site is www.ventureramp.com.
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