FLATE was established in 2004 through a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center grant and funded to date with $9.3 million. FLATE is NSF’s Florida Regional Center of Excellence and is one of 40 ATE Centers across the country focused on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education to meet the technician workforce needs of American advanced technological industries. FLATE has been recognized both locally and nationally for its innovative best practices in curriculum, outreach, and professional development.
FLATE’s impact on its educational, industry, and workforce partners is captured in a variety of metrics. FLATE data comes from stakeholder and participant surveys, Florida Dept. of Education databases, various web statistics, anecdotal comments, and other sources. These define our activity successes and impact as well as provide feedback for process improvements.
- Industry defined/endorsed Engineering Technology Degree (AS/AAS) degree approved by FL DOE in May 2007
- 21 frameworks for 20 certificates and 11 specializations of the degree
- Developed with 12 partner colleges, 44 Florida manufacturing companies, FL Department of Education, Workforce Florida, Manufacturers Skill Standards Council, Manufacturers Association of Florida, Regional Mfg. Associations
- 19 college ET Degree adoptions as of December 2016
- Three articulated high school framework submitted to FL DOE offered to a 124 of schools.
- Automation Production Technician (APT) impacting eight high school programs
- 1,776 students enrolled in Engineering Technology college degree programs in 2015-16
- Awarded over $220,000 to ET degree awarding college partners for laboratory upgrades
- Statewide articulation agreement for high school students and incumbent workers for 15 credit hours by achieving MSSC
- Sign MOU with FloridaMakes (FL MEP)
- Provided language for Career Academy legislation and testified before the FL House and Senate subcommittees
- Crafted the award for Banner Center for Manufacturing for related workforce training initiatives (2006-08, $700,000)
- Awarded $1.4 million in additional funding from NSF ATE for requested special projects
- FLATE has been leveraged by its partners to obtain over $80 million in state and local funding
- Provided 30,026 hours of professional development to 28,329 educators and 9,154 workforce, economic and manufacturing personnel in multi-day workshops, presentations, and through online webinars at hundreds of events in Florida, nationally, and worldwide
- Over 100,000 Florida students and educators reached by the Made in Florida (MIF) outreach campaign
- MFG Day Partnership (2013-16) introduced 10,251 students, 764 teachers and 586 parents and chaperons to Advanced Manufacturing at 290 advanced manufacturing tour events in 28 Florida counties
- More than 41 MIF industry-sourced, integrated STEM middle and high school lesson plans
- Recognition program for 3 outstanding educational and industry champions of manufacturing education
- Supported 1,318 middle and high school students in summer STEM robotic camps since 2005
- Awarded 24 statewide recognitions since 2010 including Best Practice and Exemplary Practice Awards
- Small Cap Award-Corp America 2016 Best Manufacturing & Technology Educational Facility in Florida, Florida Career Pathways Best Practice Awards “Recruiting and Retaining Females in Engineering & Engineering Technology Programs” and “What is Made in your Backyard, Free Educational Resources”, MAF Best Practice, Synergy in Florida for its partnership with the Association of Colleges in the development of the Engineering Technology A.S. Program.
- Ten published FLATE Best Practices guides
- Over 170,179 individuals received the FLATE FOCUS online newsletters since 2009, with distribution to 32,179 in 2016. The FLATE was viewed nationwide in the U.S. & in 97 countries; winner of 2013 and 2014 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence
- Public dissemination through madeinflorida.org and fl-ate.org websites, blogs, and educator resources at flate.pbworks.com have served over 190,759 visitors to FLATE online resources since 2009
- Model for integrating national skill standards into technician 2-year degree curriculum
- Model for industry endorsed 2-year curriculum for A.S. degrees in Engineering Technologies
- Seamless articulation to Florida BSET and BAS degrees
- National advisory boards for Technical and STEM Education including ATE Centers, NAM, MSSC, NCPN, ACTE
- International internship program helped FL host industry to increase production in 3% resulting of revenue increase to this operation in nearly two million US Dollars.
