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Join us on Friday for this panel session featuring applied research
underway in Florida's universities
that supports advances in Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing.
Ask your questions to expert panelists Drs. Gloria Wiens (UF), Nancy Diaz-Elsayed (USF), & Dazhong Wu (UCF).
For more information:
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2022 Spring Forum on Engineering Technology
at Broward College
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The 48th state-wide Forum on Engineering Technology held on March 30th and April 1st was hosted by the Broward College–North Campus in Coconut Creek. Despite COVID restrictions and gas prices, the forum was well attended with 58 (8 virtual) participants from 17 Florida state and community colleges and one state university.
The Forum on Engineering Technology (ET Forum) has served as an important vehicle for bringing together Florida’s diverse and geographically dispersed community with common issues and challenges. With the support of the Florida Department of Education, FLATE works with the ET Forum network to strengthen the consortium, share its administrative activities and projects, provide professional development, bring industry and academia together, and engage in statewide FDOE curriculum frameworks review and reform. Over the years, it has become a true community of practice. The Forum meets twice a year and has convened forty-eight times at over 24 different Florida colleges.
The Spring 2022 forum included reviews of the Florida college ET programs, Florida DOE updates to the ET Degree Frameworks, a tour of Broward College's ET lab, an industry panel on Innovations using Technology, a review of the MSSC-CPT articulation agreement, a visit from Senior Chancellor Henry Mack ( watch his opening comments here), and much more. |
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FLATE Team visits Florida Colleges with
Engineering Technology (and Related) Programs
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This year, representatives from Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE), Dr. Marilyn Barger and Ernie Friend plan to visit all 23 colleges that have ET-related programs. Ernie Friend has recently been hired as the Executive Director of FLATE. Dr. Barger had held that position for close to 20 years and will remain on the team to assist Ernie with the transition and work on special projects as the Senior Education Advisor. So far, they have visited five colleges in north, central, and south Florida.
The schools visited over the last two months include St. Petersburg College (SPC), Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC), North Florida College (NFC), Tallahassee Community College (TCC), and Palm Beach State College (PBSC). The colleges are as different as the parts of Florida they reside in. Two things all five schools have in common are dedicated faculty and established hands-on labs. Our visits included a detailed tour of the labs and a deep dive into the individual ET programs. Each college has unique challenges, but common themes include attracting more students and increasing partnerships with the regional manufacturing industry. Growing enrollments and industry partnerships are not just challenges for colleges but many post-secondary education institutions in Florida and around the country. FLATE, along with FloridaMakes, is committed to working on both of these challenges by finding creative ways to connect schools with potential students and using the FloridaMakes network to identify new companies to work with colleges.
With more school visits on the schedule, a complete picture of Florida colleges’ value in workforce development for the manufacturing sector will become even more evident.
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Florida MFG 2022: Making Manufacturing Careers
Celebrate MFG Day All Year!
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FLATE and its statewide partners are working together to plan for a year-round celebration of Manufacturing Day, designed to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and change the perception of careers in manufacturing to reflect its true status as the most advanced, high-tech industry in the country.
Join us in celebrating Florida MFG 2022: Making Manufacturing Careers! Plan events and activities where you can talk to students and parents about the great careers in manufacturing. Use FLATE resources at http://madeinflorida.org to help us reach students in 2022.
Educators
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Share a lesson on manufacturing (secondary lessons: www.flate.pbwiki.com)
- Hold a Manufacturing Career Expo, In-Person or Virtual
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Show virtual tours of local manufacturing facilities (Florida MFG Virtual Tours)
- Plan a live Q&A with a Manufacturer or plan an in-person visit to a local facility
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Review pathways to great manufacturing careers with your students. (Job Journey)
Industry
- Host a Tour of a Manufacturing Facility
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Reach out to your Regional Manufacturers Association (RMA)
- Connect with Schools in your Area
- Plan an in-person event with one school or a virtual event with several district schools
- Adopt-A-School
- Sponsor a competition that highlights Florida manufacturing
The ultimate goal is to help manufacturers build a steady pipeline of qualified and diversified manufacturing talent to help support local economies for decades to come. Contact your local RMA or FLATE directly if you have questions about how to participate.
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FLATE Awarded a 3-year $950,000 Grant from NSF |
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Last month, FLATE, part of the FloridaMakes Network, secured a $950,000 grant (NSF Award 2148138) to update the A.S. Engineering Technology program to address Industry 4.0 skills identified in a previous small conference grant (Future of Work Caucus). The new grant is a partnership with the four State College Engineering Technology programs at Central Florida College, Daytona State College (DSC) Polk State College (Polk), and St. John’s River State College (SJRSC). Co-PI’s are Sam Ajlani (CF), Ron Eaglin (DSC), Mori Toosi (Polk) and Jay Paterson (SJRSC). Each of the co-PIs will take the lead on one of the project goals below.
- Modify and update the Florida Curriculum Frameworks for Advanced Manufacturing to address Florida's technicians’ Industry 4.0 skills gap as identified by Florida manufacturers
- Provide Professional Development activities to up-skill ET program faculty
- Create short-term College Credit Certificates to quickly up-skill current and future technicians with the new skills gap
- Engage manufacturers with college A.S.ET skills and certificates
- Create Post-A.S. Curriculum Advanced Technology Certificate (ATC) that complements ET Degree’s role in the Florida Plan for manufacturing education
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program supports technician education in many advanced technologies for two-year A.S. degree programs. Any 2-year advanced technology program that has an innovative program, curriculum, recruitment strategy, or professional development workshop to adapt or adopt might consider writing an NSF ATE project proposal. There are many resources to help faculty craft a winning proposal. Visit the NSF ATE website for more information or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger for help getting started.
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STEM for All 2022
Video Showcase
Save the Dates!
May 10th – 17th
This year's #STEMVideohall will have over 275 short videos depicting innovative, federally funded projects aimed at improving Science, Math, Engineering and CS education.
View, Discuss & Vote!
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Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work
Spring 2022 Webinar Series
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Technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics are transforming existing industries and creating new ones at an unprecedented pace. This series of free, 30-minute webinars will develop your understanding of the Future of Work, its implications for your program, and strategies for addressing the challenges of preparing technicians. Dr. Marilyn Barger from FLATE is one of the presenters on April 22nd for Professional Development and Instructional Resources for the Future of Work.
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Ponte Vedra Beach, FL July 18-20, 2022
Join the FLATE Team at FACTE as we introduce the 2022 FLATE Manufacturing Education Award Winners!
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HTEC 2022 | Haas CNC Educators Annual Conference
Tennessee College of Applied Technology (Smyrna, TN)
July 25-28
Join educators throughout North America for the Annual Haas CNC Educators Conference to gain insight on best-practices in teaching CNC machining, CAD, CAM, automation, metrology, and related technologies.
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High School High Tech's Project Venture
A Competition Program in our Florida Schools
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The Able Trust launched Project Venture for students with disabilities participating in the High School High Tech program. Project Venture is a business development competition that provides hands-on experience. During the competition, students create a plan for a business or product, in any sector of their choice.
The first round of the 2022 Project Venture Competition has been completed. High School High Tech teams participated from DeSoto County, Hardee County, Lake County, Leon County, Madison County, Manatee-Sarasota Counties, Orange County, Pinellas County, St. Johns County, and Wakulla County. For the competition, the teams developed innovative ideas, wrote a business plan, and taped a commercial for their product.
Congratulations to the teams from Lake, Orange, and St. Johns Counties! The top three teams will go on to the final in-person competition. Dr. Marilyn Barger from FLATE will participate in the judging during the High School High Tech Conference in Orlando this month. In addition to bragging rights for the coming year, the winning school will receive a cash award of $1,000 to use for the various needs of their High School High Tech program. The schools placing second and third will also receive cash awards of $750 and $500 respectively.
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Average scores of 15-year-old students on the PISA Mathematics and Science Literacy Scales |
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Elementary and secondary education in mathematics and science are the foundation for entry into postsecondary STEM majors and STEM-related occupations. The PISA-based Test for Schools is a voluntary assessment of skills of 15-year olds around the world, administered every three years. The United States ranks higher in science literacy (7th out of 37 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] countries) than it does in mathematics literacy (25th of 37 OECD countries). The average U.S. mathematics score in 2018 was lower than the OECD average and has not measurably changed since 2003, whereas the average U.S science score was higher than the OECD average and has improved by 13 points since 2006. [Data is from 2018, the most current report available.] |
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Faculty Opportunities & Resources |
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Upcoming Opportunities for K-12 Teachers
University of Central Florida (UCF)
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Genomics and Bioinformatics Training Workshop for High School Teachers
June 6-9, 2022
UCF Main Campus
The workshop is limited to 10 participants and each will receive a $1000 stipend.
The application deadline is
April 29, 2022.
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GeoBus Tour Stop Scheduling Request
Spring and Fall 2022
UCF Main Campus
Open to all schools in Florida
(Grades 2-8), but with a particular emphasis on Title 1 schools within a 1-hour drive time of the UCF main campus.
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2022 CPT+ Instructor Training Dates
at Valencia College Just Announced
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As announced in the February FLATE Focus, Valencia College is now a Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) state Master Training Center. VC is authorized to offer training to instructors to deliver MSSC’s hands-on Certified Production Technician Plus (CPT+) program using the highly innovative Skill Boss training and testing device invented by Amatrol. Now, CPT+ Instructor candidates can access professional training at lower cost and less time right here in Florida. Instructors must be an MSSC CPT 4.0 Authorized Instructor prior to attending the CPT+ Instructor Training.
These CPT 4.0 courses include an introduction to rapidly emerging “Industry 4.0” digital technologies, including 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Additive (3D), Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), Autonomous Robots, Data Analytics, Augmented Reality, Nanomanufacturing and Advanced Materials. The courses will be offered on these dates:
- May 18-20
- July 13-15
- September 28-30 and
- November 14-16.
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Mapping Your Students' Career Pathway Opportunities
Debbie Davidson, Technical Assistance Director, CORD
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Each year new job titles and occupations emerge, and many students are faced with choosing a career they hope will provide advancement opportunities despite the uncertain landscape of the future workplace. Career pathway maps are planning tools that can help learners of all ages understand the opportunities available to them to learn and earn and realize success in the career paths of their choice. A “complete” career pathway map identifies entry and exit points aligned to credential attainment and advancing levels of employment and helps convey that a seamless pathway of stackable credentials is not only possible but critical to success in today’s labor market.
The career pathway mapping process often begins with community college faculty creating their “current state” map, listing academic credentials (certificate, diploma, degree), industry-recognized certifications (as applicable), local occupation, and corresponding wage data. Once the current state is mapped, an action plan is drafted to address program gaps and opportunities revealed during the mapping process. For example, if a certificate program does not “stack” to a degree, it places barriers to continued education for students.
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STEM-tastic Summer Camps Available at the
State College of Florida
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State College of Florida's Coding Academy offers STEM-based summer camps for elementary students at SCF Lakewood Ranch, and middle and high school camps for students at SCF Bradenton. Elementary campers will build robots, code drones, engineer Minecraft worlds, and create science experiments. Middle and high school campers will use 3D printers, laser cutters, robots, drones and virtual reality software to dive into innovation this summer and showcase entrepreneurial ideas! Scholarships are available for middle and high school campers.
These camps in Manatee and Sarasota counties are June 6 through July 22 for Grades 2 - 12.
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X-Stem All Access Free Virtual Conference
for Middle & High Schoolers
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Students get an inside look into the exciting careers and inspiring personal journeys of diverse STEM role models through a lively Q&A session with fellow STEM professionals. The 30-minute max episodes will premiere throughout the school year and will be available on-demand. Episodes will premiere at 1:00 pm ET on the following dates – or watch on-demand any time after!
April 27 | May 18 | September 21 | October 5 | October 19 | November 9 | December 14
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