Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Winners of Digital Workforce Innovation Challenge Announced at the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) 2025 Annual Conference in Coronado, California October 5-8

Six U.S. Colleges to Receive $25,000 Each for Scalable Industry-Partnered Upskilling Sponsored by Infosys Foundation USA

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA / ACCESS Newswire / October 13, 2025 / At the annual conference of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), taking place this year in Coronado, California in October, NACCE and Maker USA announced the six higher education recipients representing community colleges, four-year institutions, and HBCUs that were competitively selected to participate in the national Digital Workforce Innovation Program.

Infosys Foundation USA awarded a grant of $250,000 to NACCE and its Digital Workforce Innovation Program to support innovative institutions that will equip students and adult learners with the digital skills, credentials, maker mindset, and career pathways needed to thrive in the tech-driven 21st century economy through real-world learning.

The colleges include: Coppin State University (MD); Foothill College (CA); Gateway Community College (AZ); Houston City College (TX); Ivy Tech Community College, (IN); and North Iowa Area Community College (IA); have been selected to participate in an 18-month cohort, gaining access to funding, technical assistance, 1:1 coaching, monthly focus group convening, mentorship, student-driven data analysis, and peer learning on the Infosys Springboard digital learning platform.

These elements will complement the overall scaling of the digital workforce initiatives of each awardee that are aligned with local and regional labor markets. As a strategic partner for the program, Maker USA will provide technical assistance and consulting support to the cohort and connect these institutions to its national network of 40+ leading institutions and organizations focused on expanding inclusive maker education and makerspaces.

According to NACCE President and CEO Rebecca Corbin, the selection criteria reflect NACCE's mission to address community and workforce needs and collaboration with stakeholders. "These have been and continue to be the hallmark of NACCE's work with the country's community and technical colleges," she stated.

Additional criteria for grant selection included:

  • College readiness, capacity to enhance the program, and clear plans for sustainability beyond initial funding.

  • Commitment to co-designing with key stakeholders and responsiveness to community and workforce needs.

  • Ability to define clear, realistic metrics tied to program goals and demonstrable plans in place for tracking short- and long-term outcomes.

Infosys Foundation USA Executive Director and CEO Kate Maloney, stated, "With an increasing focus on preparing talent for a technology-driven workforce, we are proud to support NACCE's Digital Workforce Innovation Program. By empowering community colleges with funding, technical support, a collaborative network of higher education peers, and access to the foundation's flagship digital upskilling platform, Springboard, we are collaboratively expanding access to 21stcentury digital skills and creating wider pathways to career opportunities at a local level. This program reflects our belief that inclusive access to future-ready learning is essential to building a dynamic workforce."

NACCE is the leader in community college entrepreneurship education in North America. Infosys Foundation USA is dedicated to increasing access to computer science and maker education for K-12 educators and students while advancing digital skilling in emerging technologies for all learners.

A vital component of the cohort is SkillPointe, NACCE's online career exploration technology that helps individuals find training and certification programs for skilled trades across the country. SkillPointe's career pages help students of all ages and backgrounds understand what the career entails, which skills are needed, what kind of training is required, what scholarships are available, and relevant salary information.

By integrating the strengths of both platforms into the cohort framework, grantees of the Digital Workforce Innovation Program will have access to an 11K course repository of interactive learning modules and foundational training in emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing, data analytics, and cybersecurity.

About Infosys Foundation USA

The foundation's mission is to expand access to computer science and maker education for K-12 students and educators across the USA, while working to digitally upskill all learners for 21stcentury technology-enabled opportunities. It achieves impact through the delivery of professional development programs for teachers, digital upskilling, partnerships with leading nonprofits, and innovative media campaigns that inspire everyone to be creators, not just consumers, of technology. For more information, visit: Infosys.org/USA.

About NACCE

NACCE is an organization of educators, administrators, presidents, and entrepreneurs focused on igniting entrepreneurship in their communities and on their campuses. NACCE has two main goals: to empower college leaders to approach the business of running a community college with an entrepreneurial mindset; and to grow the community college's role in supporting job creation and entrepreneurs in their local ecosystems. Visit: nacce.com.

About MakerUSA

Maker USA works with marginalized communities to support their efforts in using maker education for innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM careers. MakerUSA runs a national community of practice called the Learning Network, composed of 40+ leading institutions and organizations focused on expanding inclusive maker education and makerspaces. MakerUSA also locally recruits, embeds, and trains program managers to support the efforts of these communities. Visit makerusa.org.

Contact Information

Carol Savage
Editor
editor@nacce.com
978857-1473

.

SOURCE: National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship



View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

More News

View More

Recent Quotes

View More
Symbol Price Change (%)
AMZN  213.04
-1.43 (-0.67%)
AAPL  252.29
+4.84 (1.96%)
AMD  233.08
-1.48 (-0.63%)
BAC  51.28
+0.84 (1.67%)
GOOG  253.79
+1.91 (0.76%)
META  716.91
+4.84 (0.68%)
MSFT  513.58
+1.97 (0.39%)
NVDA  183.16
+1.35 (0.74%)
ORCL  291.31
-21.69 (-6.93%)
TSLA  439.31
+10.56 (2.46%)
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.