FLATE Focus 

Tracing the Evolution of Manufacturing Day Student Tours in Florida

The Early Years

Manufacturing Day marks the kick-off for a month-long celebration of manufacturing and manufacturers contributions in shaping the face of modern manufacturing. Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for manufacturers to step out of the shadows and spotlight their role in transforming innovative ideas into real-world products. For a long time, the word ‘Manufacturing’ conjured negative images of a dying industry with limited opportunities and potential for growth. In reality, manufacturing is the lifeline of an economy, any economy for that matter! In that respect, Manufacturing Day earmarks the trailblazing moments of the manufacturing industry, the role of manufacturing in germinating groundbreaking ideas and converting them into tangible products, and showcasing what manufacturers do on a daily basis to inspire the next generation of innovators.
On the national level, the Manufacturing Day initiative kick started in 2012 and was orchestrated primarily by Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International and its cohesive network of partners that at the time included NAM, National Manufacturers Association, the Manufacturing Institute (MI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). This network of founding partners have been highly successful in rolling out the idea of celebrating Manufacturing Day on a national platform and in working with a vast network of statewide organizations that have hopped into the bandwagon to celebrate Manufacturing Day on a local level in various pockets and capacities across the country.

MFG Day from a Florida Perspective

Here in Florida, FLATE, the National Science Foundation Center of Excellence for manufacturing, took the initial lead in spearheading and formulating a statewide strategy for Manufacturing Day focusing on students and student tours to manufacturing facilities. FLATE’s involvement with Manufacturing Day and raising awareness about this national effort started in 2012. FLATE’s task to get all statewide stakeholders—manufacturers, school districts, community organizations etc—on the same page was colossal. Calls to raise awareness and get statewide stakeholders involved in the manufacturing day initiative started out small with an article first published in the October 2012 edition of the FLATE Focus.

By 2013, the idea had taken flight and FLATE had set the stage for an official first kick off of Manufacturing Day in Florida. During the initial years, FLATE took a leading role in working with statewide partners that included manufacturers, manufacturers associations, trade groups, school districts, colleges and universities, to organize the logistics for industry tours for students across the state. FLATE also worked with local partners to get the local, county and state government on board to issue proclamations marking the first Friday in October as Manufacturing Day. In addition to arranging industry tours for students, FLATE spearheaded the campaign for industry partners to sponsor T-Shirts and lunches for students, teachers and chaperones who participated in an industry tour for manufacturing day. Not to leave the marketing part out, FLATE worked with regional “Manufacturing Day Teams” to arrange media publicity and coverage on a regional and statewide basis.

With all the physical aspects of organizing a manufacturing day industry tour in place, FLATE took on another monumental task to single-handedly develop an effective strategy to survey all Manufacturing Day participants that included students, educators, chaperones and industry hosts. At the conclusion of Manufacturing Day, FLATE single-handedly compiled the data and distributes customized reports to each of the partners earmarking the impact of tours on all participants in their region. 2013 also marked the start of a formal curriculum for manufacturing day that FLATE developed for educators to use as part of their Manufacturing Day industry tours.

By the time 2014 rolled around, Florida, under the leadership of FLATE, was leading the nation in organizing industry tours for manufacturing day. Florida was earmarked the national leader in implementing a statewide strategy for National Manufacturing Day. Number of students who participated in a Made in Florida industry tour rose from nearly 2000 in 2012 to over 3000 in 2013. Number of counties involved increased, cities and towns issuing proclamations experienced phenomenal growth too. Marketing efforts were stepped up and integrated with social efforts to get the community at large engaged in fun and innovative campaigns like the “MFGDay in Florida Selfiethons.”  FLATE also expanded its Manufacturing Day curriculum to include one for elementary students and for 7th to 10th graders.

2015 marked the apex of Manufacturing Day in Florida. It set a new precedent as Florida led the nation in organizing the highest number of industry tours and related events in the nation. FLATE and its network of statewide partners had led an immensely successful blockbuster campaign that ranked Florida in the top spot in the nation for two consecutive years. To accommodate the overall rise in participation, industry tours were expanded and scheduled throughout the month of October, making it, for the first time, a month-long celebration. For educators the curriculum expanded to include a Manufacturing Day in Florida poster that they could use as a curriculum tool and/or to decorate their classrooms.

Over 4,700 students participated in manufacturing day industry tours in 2015. The number of tour hosts across the state was at an all-time high, with the number of educators/chaperons and parents participating in an industry tour doubling compared to the previous years.  The total number of stakeholder surveys (students, educators/chaperones and industry hosts) also witnessed a dramatic increase in 2015.

Noteworthy media and social moments included a retweet from Congressmen David Jolly, from the 13th District in Florida who acknowledged FLATE’s role in MFG Day/Month in the United States Senate. Then, United States Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzer also gave FLATE a major social kudos on Twitter with National Day Manufacturing Day organizers at the Manufacturing Institute also acknowledging FLATE’s media and social efforts. In 2017 FLATE partnered with FloridaMakes and NIST to conduct Facebook Live session to mark the official kick off of Manufacturing Day/Month. Live videos were streamed on the FLATE Facebook page outlining students/educators and industry professionals’ experience while touring a manufacturing facility.

In the years to follow, Manufacturing Day continued to garner statewide support from all quarters. Statewide manufacturers consistently rated Manufacturing Day as a valuable investment of their time and resources, while students and educators continued to rate their industry tour as a helpful mechanism to understand Florida’s high-tech jobs and careers in manufacturing. Although the overall statewide participation slightly dipped in 2016 and 2017 in part due to hurricanes barreling through the state, by 2017 additional events such as Manufacturing Expos showcasing local products,  Job Fairs interviewing local candidates, Manufacturers Awards acknowledging contributions of local manufacturers/educators, Manufacturing Fundraisers to support manufacturing education, STEM festivals at local state and community colleges became more common and were added to the glossary of events for Manufacturing Month.

2017 also marked the advent of virtual industry tours for students whereby students who could not tour a manufacturing facility had the opportunity to learn about its manufacturing operations and processes remotely and by using the FLATE Manufacturing Day curriculum. The numbers rebounded in 2018, with overall participation increasing to over 5,000 students and nearly 140 educators touring 126 industry sites in 21 counties across Florida. Manufacturing Day/Month continues to make a tremendous impact in raising awareness about manufacturers’ contributions to the state and national economy. Over the years it has served as an effective vehicle in educating the next generation about importance of manufacturing, but more importantly it has steadily helped build the much-needed pipeline of high-skilled workers for Florida’s diverse manufacturing economy.

2019 MFG Day Efforts

2019 is poised to be another banner year for Manufacturing Day in Florida. Across the state new Manufacturing Day teams have emerged to lead regional efforts for Manufacturing Day. Check with your regional manufacturers associations to get an update on how to get involved in Manufacturing Day industry tours and related events. In terms of FLATE, it has completely revamped its Manufacturing Day site. The FLATE Wiki is now your one-stop-shop for all information and resources needed to successfully plan Manufacturing Day industry tours and events, access Manufacturing Day STEM-based curriculum, download instructions for media outreach, and download pre and post Manufacturing Day surveys. The FLATE Industry Tour Best Practice Guide is also another great place to check while planning your Manufacturing Day tours and events.

Manufacturing Day is indeed one of the banner events for manufacturers here in Florida and across the state. It has and continues to make a tremendous impact on statewide stakeholders, as it gives them an opportunity to learn not only about the products that are made in their backyard, but the technologies involved in making a product and the career pathways available to be part of a high-tech workforce. On a broader scale Manufacturing Day continues to build inroads between schools and local businesses as they look towards building sustainable partnerships. Indeed, statewide Manufacturing Day partners have contributed to expanding the scope and reach of this statewide event and are invested on many levels to make this a successful endeavor every year. FLATE would like to thank all its partners for their participation, sponsorship and involvement in Manufacturing Day efforts and for making it a grand success. We look forward to continuing this partnership and collaboration with each of our partners to position Florida as a national leader in the Manufacturing arena.

For more information on FLATE’s statewide strategy for manufacturing day/month, visit www.madeinflorida.org/manufacturing-day and the FLATE Wiki. You can also contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, Executive Director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org, or at 813.259.6578.

FLATE Focus 

Introducing the Revamped MFG Day PB-Wiki Resources Page II

Manufacturing Day and Month needs your help in collecting surveys! In 2018, 5,075 students went on industry tours during Manufacturing Day, but only 24% students completed and turned in their surveys. During Manufacturing Day and Month, FLATE collects data from surveys completed by students, teachers, and manufacturers. The Manufacturing Day surveys gives feedback on how industry tours can be improved and gives us an insight on what students think about manufacturing fields. In 2018, we saw how big of an impact the tours had on students when results showed that there was a 77% additional growth for students considering a career in advanced manufacturing after taking an industry tour. Some of the additional comments students wanted to share were, “This was the most interesting field trip I have been on,” and, “I was happy to have the opportunity to go on this tour and I would like to receive a job at one of these manufacturing facilities once I reach the designated requirements.”

In addition, by completing the Post-Teacher and Parent Survey, we can learn more about how teachers prepared students for the tour, more information on the students, and receive detailed feedback on the impact the tour had on both students and teachers. For instance, in 2018 97% of teachers and parents were able to see how STEM subjects were put to work in high tech industries and 100% recommended that other students have an opportunity to take an industry tour.

We also would love to hear feedback from Manufacturers to learn more about the tour and the perspective of the industry. The Post Tour Host Survey will help us view the in-kind contributions, the effectiveness of Manufacturing Day student tours, and see any opportunities your facility offers to the next generation of workers.

How to Access and Return Post Tour Manufacturing Day Surveys

Visit https://flate.pbworks.com or search “FLATE Wiki” to visit FLATE’s PB Wiki Page and select the tour bus on the front page. You should see a banner with the Manufacturing Day logo at the top and, on the side, you will see a navigational bar. Select “MFG Day Surveys” and click on either the “Online survey” or the “Printable Survey”. If you choose to complete the survey by paper, please be sure to complete a “Cover Sheet” for each tour your students went on. For instance, if you took two different groups of students to SMT, you would need to complete a cover sheet for both of those tours. We recommend that you take the cover sheet with you on the tour so the tour guide can help you complete the “Industry” portion of the sheet. In addition, you can take the student surveys with you on the tour to ensure an allotted time to complete the survey. Online surveys can be accessed by a cell phone or computer by following the first steps above or visiting this link!

Remember!! Online surveys are an eco-friendly and fast-paced way to turn in surveys and allows students to complete the survey at any time!

Paper surveys can be turned in at this location:

FLATE – HCC Brandon

10451 Nancy Watkins Dr.

Tampa, FL 33619

We’d love to hear everyone’s feedback on Manufacturing Day and Month, so please follow the links below to complete and share with your fellow tour adventurers!

Post Tour Student Survey

Post Tour Teacher & Parent Survey

Post Tour Manufacturer Survey

Ready to host or take a tour? Then visit the Contact Page to contact your Regional Manufacturing Association or School Coordinator! For questions concerning the Manufacturing Day Resources Page, contact Elizabeth Duran (duran@fl-ate.org). To learn more about Manufacturing Day and Month in Florida, contact Marilyn Barger (barger@fl-ate.org)

FLATE Focus 

Introducing the Revamped Manufacturing Day PB-Wiki Resources Page!

Manufacturing Day and Month is getting closer each day! If you are looking to participate or searching for resources to improve the students’ tours experiences, then come visit the newly revamped FLATE PBWIKI Manufacturing Day Resources Page! On this page, you will find a lot of menu options to choose from on the left side of the screen. In this article, we will review the resources available under the hosts, educators, and marketing tabs.
Before we begin, we highly recommend you read FLATE Guides: Best Practices for Industry Tours! The Best Practices to Industry Tours will introduce you to manufacturing tours and will go through the steps on how to plan an impactful student tour whether you are a host or a teacher.

HOSTS
The “HOSTS” tab contains resources for manufacturers when preparing for their industry tours during Manufacturing Day and Month. You will find wonderful Tour Tips, handouts, informational presentations, the MFG Day Proclamation, and a link to the MFG Day’s Planning Guide! The Tour Tips and MFG Planning Guide will help you to plan your tour, inform you of previous hosts’ tactics for improving tours, and provide a way to further promote and disseminate your tour. In addition, there is a downloadable regional manufacturer’s association contact list.
As part of celebrating Manufacturing Day and Month, FloridaMakes is seeking help from Florida’s manufacturers to create a compiled video. They are requesting Florida manufacturers to make a small clip about what they make in Florida and how their products impact our daily lives. The compiled video and short clips, will be used to inspire the next generation of manufacturers so, if you are interested in participating, you can find the video making guidelines by clicking  here!

EDUCATORS
Teachers, are you looking for some fun educational opportunities for your students to learn more about manufacturing in anticipation of your class tour? The “EDUCATORS” tab contains lesson plans and informational flyers for you and your students. We currently offer three lesson plans: Pre & Post Tour Lesson Plan, Scavenger Hunt Activity, and CIS Lesson Plans. The Pre & Post Tour Lesson Plan is designed to go along with the industry tours and teaches students how STEM is connected to manufacturing.  Meanwhile, the Scavenger Hunt Activity is geared towards informing students what is manufactured in Florida by having them search the web for information. If you are looking to go more in-depth with teaching students about detailed subjects in manufacturing, we offer the CIS Lesson Plans which help students prepare and succeed in Hi-tech careers. The CIS Lesson Plans is a four-day lesson plan with eight different activities that cover: Assembly, Automation, Electronics Assembly, Materials Selection, Product Design, Quality Measures: Metrology, Subtractive Machining, and Fabrication: Welding. Each of FLATE’s lesson plans contains teacher instructions, student handouts, and presentations that can be modified based on your needs.
In addition to lesson plans, the educators’ tab has informational flyers that can help students and educators alike learn the basics about manufacturing. The “Manufacturing Job Journey” and “What is Manufacturing?” flyers contain information on hourly pay for some manufacturing jobs and a quick overview of manufacturing processes and sectors.

MARKETING
The “Marketing” tab is home to all of the resources you could use to help promote Manufacturing

2019 MFG Day T-Shirt Design

Day and Month to your school or company. The page contains the MFG Day Proclamation template, presentations, flyers, and movies that contain statistical information on how Manufacturing Day and Month has impacted students, how important manufacturing is, and why it’s important for students to go on industry tours. In addition, we have added the 2013-2018 MFG Day-FL Data Dashboard to show how Manufacturing Day and Month’s participation has advanced over the years.
On this page, you will also find graphics that can enrich the student’s industry tour experience! We have multiple different designs that you can use such as: the MFG Day Poster, MFG Day FL Infographic, downloadable buttons, the 2019 Florida Manufacturing Day t-shirt design, and logos. Help promote Manufacturing Day and Month by downloading, using, and customizing the Company Email Signature with your logo. You can edit or use these designs as needed as long as it is not for commercial use.

Ready to host or take a tour? Then visit the Contact Page to contact your Regional Manufacturing Association or School Coordinator! For questions concerning the Manufacturing Day Resources Page, contact Elizabeth Duran (duran@fl-ate.org). To learn more about Manufacturing Day and Month in Florida, contact Marilyn Barger (barger@fl-ate.org)

FLATE Focus 

2019 FLATE Awardees to Receive Special Recognition at the Annual FACTE Conference

Educators and manufacturers play an integral role in educating and training the next generation of manufacturers. To acknowledge their contributions to manufacturing, FLATE has developed a prolific awards program that recognizes “Rockstars of Manufacturing” who have and continue to make a significant impact in support of technology education and training across Florida. This year’s nominees for the 2019 FLATE Awards include a distinguished panel of individuals who for a number of years have made significant strides in promoting manufacturing and technology education and training across the state. 

At the secondary education level, Michael J. Sargent, an engineering instructor at Lake Wales Charter School will receive the 2019 FLATE Manufacturing Secondary Educator-of-the-Year Award. Originally from upstate New York, Sargent started his foray into the world of manufacturing as a mathematics and engineering teacher for Polk County Schools (PCS). While working for PCS he became the first authorized MSSC instructor for Polk County high schools. At the time Sargent was tasked with creating Florida’s first nationally accredited manufacturing engineering high school program and related outreach initiatives through the National Career Academy Coalition. As a result of his efforts 44 high school students earned the MSSC CPT certification. Sargent believes “education at the high school level is important as it exposes students to the diversity of jobs and skills needed to succeed.” As a proponent of increasing female awareness and presence in the world of engineering, in 2018 Sargent partnered with the Society of Women Engineers at the University of Central Florida to create a mentoring program for female high school students to receive guidance and connections from female engineering students at the University of Central Florida.

Most recently Sargent is working on establishing a dual-enrollment program between Lake Wales Charter High School and Polk State College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. This partnership is set to enable high school students at Lake Wales Charter High School to earn MSSC certification as well as an Associates in Applied Engineering Technology. Sargent is working with a coalition of local manufacturing partners to provide the next generation of skilled workers. When not teaching, he spends time with his wife and two children. He can also be found teaching scuba diving courses and/or participating in reef restoration programs.

At the post-secondary level, Ronald D. Eaglin, Ph.D., has been nominated for the Distinguished Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator-of-the-Year Award. Dr. Eaglin currently serves as the professor and Chair of the Department of Engineering and Information Technology at Daytona State College in Daytona, FL. Eaglin has enjoyed a long and illustrious career both as a distinguished educator and an entrepreneur. His academic credentials include a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He holds an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He also holds a special Honors Degree from South Carolina College. In the academic sphere, Dr. Eaglin has held several esteemed positions serving as the Associate Vice President for the College of Technology and Chair of the Engineering Technology program at Daytona State College (DSC). Prior to joining DSC, Dr. Eaglin was the Chair of the Engineering Technology program and the Assistant Dean for Distributed Learning College of Engineering at the University of Central Florida.

Dr. Eaglin is credited with establishing many academic programs both at DSC and at UCF. He played a leading role in formulating the curriculum frameworks for the A.S.E.T specializations in mechatronics and additive manufacturing at DSC. He has also worked on the ABET accreditation of the BSET and BSIT degrees at DSC. In addition to his ongoing offices and responsibilities, Eaglin serves as the coordinator of all engineering technology class assignment as the statewide course number representative and is an active member of the Florida Engineering Technology Forum, a statewide entity responsible for coordination of engineering technology programs across Florida.

Given his years in academia and the corporate world, Dr. Eaglin has many accolades under his belt. Dr. Eaglin is a renowned author of several professional publications, journals and presentations. He is a recipient of the Christopher Columbus Foundation Award for Innovation in Homeland Security. He is also among the “Who’s Who” of students in American Universities and College, and has been a long-term member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Society. Outside his professional commitments, Eaglin serves as the President of the Central Florida Adventure Racing club that promotes outdoor activity, health and fitness for all ages. He is a Central Florida United soccer coach and is a past president and current member of the Central Florida Orienteering Club.

When it comes to manufacturing education and training, Michael D. Brewster has occupied a commanding presence and held formidable roles in promoting excellence in the corporate world of manufacturing. Early last month, the FLATE Awards committee selected Brewster for the FLATE Distinguished Partner-of-the-Year award that recognizes key industry personnel for outstanding contributions to promoted technology education and career awareness in support of manufacturing across Florida.

Brewster’s leadership in the manufacturing arena is rooted in his longstanding commitment to world-class talent development in the manufacturing workforce. For Brewster it is all about the people, the faces and forces behind the world of manufacturing. He believes “a manufacturing company will only go as far as its employee talent pool will carry it.” Brewster states job satisfaction in manufacturing comes from leadership commitment to learning and opportunities for formal training for all employees to reach their full potential.

Brewster’s commitment to excellence in manufacturing and related careers started decades ago. He has been engaged in food manufacturing since 1996 developing his career at Perry’s Ice Cream, Jasper Products, Winn-Dixie Manufacturing, Dunkin Brands and Tampa Bay CoPack. His food and beverage experience includes developing aseptic products like soy, milk, rice, protein drinks, juices, donuts, teas and sports drinks. Brewster joined Monin in 2014 as the Vice President of Plant Operations and currently serves as the Chief Production Officer at Monin Americas.

Community outreach is a cornerstone of Brewster’s contributions to manufacturing. Key contributions include engagement in diverse initiatives across the state. He was nominated as a key participant in the Talent Pipeline Management Manufacturing Collaborative. He was the speaker at the American Manufacturing Summit in Chicago, IL. He is a member of the Pinellas County Coalition to Tallahassee and sponsored the Clearwater High School robotics team. Brewster has been a leading proponent of Manufacturing Day events and has partnered with FLATE on various MFG Day activities in the Tampa Bay region. Through Monin Americas, he served as a sponsor for the Manufacturing Day 5K Run-Walk-Paddle for Education. Since 2015 he has hosted several Manufacturing Day tours for Pinellas County School District. He is also member of several regional Manufacturers Associations serving as the Vice President for Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA), member of the Board of Directors for BAMA and the Upper Tampa Bay Manufacturers Association and Chair of the BAMA Scholarship Committee. He is an avid advocate for hiring people with special needs and co-founded BAMA’s veterans support committee.

FLATE extends its heartiest congratulations on this top honor to all the 2019 FLATE Awards recipients.

The Awards represent FLATE’s commitment to recognize colleagues who have made significant contributions to the outreach, education and training of today’s advanced manufacturing workforce. Awards will be presented during the 53^rd Annual FACTE Conference & Trade Show from July 15-17, at the Renaissance Orlando Sea World Resort in Orlando, FL. For more information about the FLATE Awards program, or to submit a nomination for 2020 FLATE Awards visit www.fl-ate.org/projects/flate-awards. You can also contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at 813.25.6578, or at barger@fl-ate.org.

FLATE Focus 

Using FETPIP Data to Track ET Grads Employment

FLATE uses the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) data to track employment of engineering technology (ET) grads and to learn about their earning outcomes.
The FETPIP Program is a data collection and consumer reporting system established by Florida Statutes Selection 1008.39 to provide follow-up data on former students and program participants who have graduated, exited or completed a public education or training program within the state of Florida. The statute requires all elements of Florida’s workforce development system to use information provided through FETPIP, for any project they may conduct requiring automated matching of administrative records for follow-up purposes. FETPIP’s method of data collections replaces conventional survey-type techniques, and provides information in an accurate and cost effective manner. The follow-up studies are conducted annually by matching records of the student graduates, completes or exiters from the numerous public and independent organizations with information resources available to FETPIP. Follow-up on a quarterly basis is also done for some groups.

Limitations:

• FETPIP does not report matched numbers (headcount) of 5 or less for any industry title; FETPIP makes the “match” decision at the state level based on industry title, not occupation.

• FETPIP data only matches a three month span of college data – Oct., Nov., Dec. of a given year; FETPIP does not match and provide data reflecting an entire year.

• FETPIP data runs two years behind for students enrolled and graduated, and will not accurately reflect local follow-up data such as instructor blogs, social media, and other personal contacts.

Participants are universities, community colleges, school districts, selected private vocational schools, welfare transition services, workforce investment act (WIA), corrections system, farm worker jobs and educational programs, and specialized and longitudinal studies.

2016-17 A.S. Degree Completers Statewide, FETPIP Follow-up Outcomes:

According to the 2016-17 FETPIP data provided by FLDOE a total of 144 individuals reported information for follow-up after completing the E.T. A.S. Degree program, of these 112 (78%) were found employed. Similar percentages were found in 2014-15, 2015-16 with 77% (up 1%). The average annual earnings for 2016-17 was $51,384 (average quarterly earnings were $12,846), which is an increase of more than 12% when compared with previous year’s report (2015-16).

Table 1 contains 5-year data collected from years 2012 to 2017 which includes information regarding student graduates, completers or exiters from the Florida colleges offering E.T. A.S. degree with information resources available to FETPIP.

Table 1: 2012-17 Engineering Technology – E.T. A.S. Degree (Program 1615000001) Completers FETPIP Follow-up Outcomes

Data summarized in table 1 and figures 1-4 represents data built in two year lag time and only matches a three month span of college data (Oct., Nov., Dec. of a given year) except for the average annual earning which is estimated purposely for this report. FETPIP does not provide data reflecting an entire year.

The data has shown a consistent increase in the number of A.S. degree completers (figure 1) and E.T. graduates (figure 2) that were employed. It is important to note the significant increase of the number of E.T. graduates who were found employed from 2012-13 (48 graduates) to 2016-17 (112), which is an increase of more than 100% during this period (figure 3). This trend can be related to the increase of Florida colleges that have implemented the E.T. A.S. degree program and manufacturing related programs. During 2012 there were 13 colleges with the E.T. A.S. degree program and by the end of 2017, there were 23 colleges in Florida offering the E.T. A.S. degree program (New programs do not report graduates within the first 2 years).

Average annual earnings, shown in figure 4, also continued to increase over the past five years from $38,940 to $51,384. This increase in wages indicates that E.T. and related manufacturing careers are growing strong in Florida, providing more value to high performance manufacturing and production industries, whose work is vitally important to the nation’s prosperity and security.

This information is part of the performance accountability process for all parts of the K-20 system and serves as an indicator of student achievement and program needs in Florida. It helps educators and parents better prepare and counsel students for success in their future education and career choices. For more information about the Florida Education & training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) visit FDOE-FETPIP. For More information about Florida’s Engineering Technology A.S. Degree contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Executive Director (barger@fl-ate.org).

Congratulations to our 2019 Engineering Technology Graduates!!

FLATE Focus 

42nd ET Forum at Suncoast Technical College – Sarasota

The 42^nd state-wide Forum on Engineering Technology (ET Forum) held on March 28^th and 29^th was hosted by the Suncoast Technical College – Sarasota Main Campus. This was the first visit to Suncoast Technical College which provides quality technical education to meet workforce to address the issues concerning our field of technical education development and community needs with their programs in automation and manufacturing. This spring forum has been one of the most attended since 1996 with 70 participants from 17 FL State and community colleges, three technical colleges and three state universities. The Forum provided ET and related discipline area faculty administrators and educators direct interaction with industry professionals and Florida Dept. of Education program supervisors.

The Florida Engineering Technology Leadership Council and the Engineering Technology Forum was established in April 1997 at Seminole Community College (now Seminole State College). Since 1996 the ET Forum has been hosted in 23 Colleges around Florida.

The membership includes the department heads and the leaders of the technology programs in the State of Florida. The Forum is a viable means for industry and educators across the state to meet regularly to discuss issues of the educating of tomorrow’s advanced manufacturing workforce. The Forum is building capacity in faculty across the state and securing a community of practice around manufacturing and technology education in Florida.

This year theme of this Forum was innovations using technology and best practices related to technology education, AS to BSET articulation, industry collaborations, grant initiatives, professional development, issues forum, and included some of new projects and updates. Thursday sessions included topics such as technical trends and vendors’ round table, Florida department of education updates, PathTech LIFE updates with its new PathTech LISTEN grant, college updates, industrial and workforce roundtable, Suncoast technical college technical tour, articulations AS/BSET and new articulations. In addition, great topics were presented such as IPC-connecting electronics industries – educating/training the next generation, smart automation certification alliance (SACA), and National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3).

On Friday morning, the forum continued with more college issues, with discussions on how lab fees and what can and cannot be included. Other topics included – advanced technology updates, FLATE updates, and smart factory and eLearning. The meeting summary with more details, will be posted on FLATE’s wiki

PathTech LISTEN, is a newly awarded national interview study of Engineering Technology graduates by the University of South Florida-Department of Sociology. Currently the group is finalizing the interview questions and protocols. This survey study will focus on both educational and career pathways. For more information contact Dr. Will Tyson (wtyson@usf.edu).

ET Forum Survey results

A total of 30 attendees responded to the survey the following: an impressive 100% of attendees who responded to the survey said that they are planning to use the information presented at this workshop and they will use the information they have gained with a colleague or peers and that they will recommend the forum to other colleagues, 89% of respondents agreed that the forum was an excellent overall professional development value.

Special Thank you to the 2019 spring ET Forum sponsors for their generous support!

Bluegrass Educational Technologies, Hyatt Consulting Group, D. C. Jaeger Corporation, Learning Labs, Southern Educational Systems, Technical Training Aids, Suncoast Technical College

Presentations and material for the ET forum are available online at Made in Florida 2019 Spring ET Forum at SCSC. For more information, please contact Marilyn Barger (mbarger@flate.org).

FLATE Focus

Focus on Florida Apprenticeships

The concept of apprenticeships, how they are structured, and how apprenticeships have been integrated into the “workable education model” in Florida has been an ongoing discussion in past editions of the FLATE Focus. In the June 2013 edition of the FLATE Focus, Executive Director of FLATE, Dr. Marilyn Barger took an initial look at the terms of engagement for apprenticeship programs from a broader perspective. A year later, Dr. Barger discussed the role of apprenticeships in addressing the workforce skills gap. Indeed this is a relevant topic in terms of the workforce needs and technician education and training in Florida, and we are revisiting this topic this month as we assess current apprentice programs across the sunshine state.

The primary purpose of apprenticeships is to enable employers to develop and apply industry recognized standards to training programs. The intention is to increase productivity, improve the quality of the workforce, retain tribal knowledge and to reduce turnover. Apprentice programs are administered either by the Office of Apprenticeships (OA) or by the SAA which is the State Apprenticeship Agency. OA’s are state-led programs run and managed by the United States Department of Labor (US DOL). The SAA structure that is implemented in Florida, holds responsibility and accountability for apprenticeships at the state level and is recognized by the US DOL to register and oversee apprenticeship programs and agreements for federal purposes.

There are five essential components of registered apprenticeships. They include a strong business involvement; structured on-the-job training; related/corresponding instruction; rewards for skill gains, and a national occupational credential that guarantees apprentices are 100% qualified for the job. Trade associations, local workforce boards, single employers, educational institutions, community, or faith-based organizations are some of the entities that are approved to sponsor an apprentice.

The length of apprenticeships varies from one to five years depending on the occupation training requirements. Time-Based apprenticeships complete a required number of hours in “On-The-Job” training. Competency-based apprenticeships progress at their own pace whereby apprentices demonstrate competency in skills and knowledge through proficiency test and applied practice validated by a supervisor, mentor, or journey worker. Hybrid apprenticeships use the minimum and maximum range of hours and require a successful demonstration of identified measured competencies. There is also the Career Lattice model that uses an interim credential to validate progression through a registered apprenticeship program within competency, or hybrid based models ONLY.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2018, there are over 12,000 apprentices in Florida enrolled in 213 active programs. Of the 12,000 apprentices, approximately 1,400 completed their programs during this time span. In 2018 there were over 5,000 new apprentices with a total of 26 new registered apprenticeship programs and three new pre-apprenticeship programs registered in Florida. According to FLDOE the top two apprenticeship programs at the secondary level and at Florida colleges is the Electrician and the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Technology programs. Other popular programs include Plumbing Technology, Carpentry, Early Childhood Education Fire Fighter/Fire Sprinkler System Technology and Sheet Metal Fabrication Technology. For the full list of apprenticeships in Florida, visit www.FLDOE.org.

In terms of manufacturing apprenticeships, there are nearly 200 students enrolled in various apprenticeship programs across Florida, most of which are related to machining. Tampa Bay Machining in Clearwater, FL, offers the top number of different apprenticeship programs across the state and has a total of 18 students enrolled in their 10 programs. Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) has the highest number of apprentices (59) currently enrolled in any manufacturing-related program (59 in their Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship). Other organizations offering apprenticeships supporting manufacturing include AmSkills in New Port Richey, South Florida Manufacturers Association in Fort Lauderdale, Treasure Coast Manufacturers Association in Port St. Lucie, Miami Dade College in Miami, CareerSource Suncoast in East Bradenton, St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Baker-Hughes in Jacksonville, Arthrex Manufacturing in Ave Maria etc. See the full list of manufacturing apprenticeships programs across Florida and their enrollment.

Florida employers can participate in an existing program, or can work with Apprenticeship Training Representatives to develop a new program. Interested employers should contact their assigned regional representative within the Division of Career and Adult Education. A full listing of regional representatives by service region is listed in the adjacent graphic or contact Ted Norman, program director at FL DOE at richard.norman@fldoe.org, or at 850.245.9039. You can also visit https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/apprenticeship-programs. For information on the Florida Engineering Technology Forum and its role in defining curriculum alignments for manufacturing apprenticeships across Florida contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, Executive Director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org, or at 813.259.6578.

FLATE Focus 

ATE Leadership Caucus Looks to the Future

In mid-December, the new “Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work” project hosted its advisory committee and Principal Investigators from ATE centers, coordination networks and projects in Alexandria, Virginia to explore anticipated impacts on the “future of work” on the advanced technicians graduating from our programs.  This event kick-started the four-year ATE special project focused identifying what skills and knowledge the technician workforce will need in the coming decades and how we can best deploy them. The project advisory committee met the day prior to the Caucus and those 10 industry representatives joined the ATE Caucus to share their industry perspectives.  The funded “Preparing Technicians” project is providing an important opportunity for the ATE community to come together and look toward the future of technician education and what we will want and need to change in our educational systems to best prepare students for the jobs of the future.

Several NSF program officers from programs focused on the NSF’s “Big Idea” focusing on the Future of Work at the Human Technology Interface. This program spans the breadth of the National Science Foundation’s programs including the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. And, it is one of ten “Big Ideas” (see the Big Ideas webpage) that the National Science Foundation is promoting to prompt scientists and engineering researchers to investigate interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary topics and applications of emerging technologies. The ATE Impacts Blog has a recent post from the Caucus event that highlights the presentations from these NSF program officers at the Caucus.

You can join the Preparing Technician’s community by signing up on its website, PreparingTechnians.org, and/or read the posted article from the December Caucus, which summarizes the amazing presentation by Mehran Gul, Lead for Digital Transformation Initiative at the World Economic Forum (Geneva, Switzerland). This presentation gives a thought-provoking historic and global perspective of work and anticipates the future. You can also find the project’s monthly podcasts as well as other resources.

The fast pace of technological change, the power of artificial intelligence, G5 communication platforms, flexible manufacturing and virtual / augmented reality will affect how many workers do their work every day. We must do our best to anticipate what industry will look like for working technicians. FLATE looks forward to sharing news from the Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work project as it explores the technology workforce and workplace of the near future. For more information about the Preparing Technicians projects, contact the project P.I., Ann-Clair Anderson (anderson@cord.org) or Marilyn Barger, Executive Director, FLATE (barger@fl-ate.org).

Plan Now for PD Opportunities for 2019

As we approach the holiday season and the beginning of a new year, it’s time to both look forward to where we want to go and who we want to be, and back to see where we have come. However, right now let’s focus on professional development (“PD”) and the future. What do we want to learn more about? What do we still want to learn? How can we better help our students?

What is Professional Development? One official definition is “the process of improving and increasing capabilities of staff through access to education and training opportunities in the workplace, through outside organization, or through watching others perform the job. Certainly, “PD” is one way that educators keep current with their academic and technical disciplines as well as teaching and learning strategies.

However, “PD” helps build and maintain morale and is thought to help attract higher quality people to an organization”. Additionally, “PD” can provide educators with innovative tools and helps them to develop skills to use these new tools effectively to affect a direct impact on student achievement. When educators feel empowered and confident in bringing something new to their instruction, they can reach students they may not have been able to with traditional teaching methods. Innovative technology and teaching tools in the classroom can allow for diverse and interesting lessons that will engage learners in new ways.

FLATE has always and continues to focus on helping Florida manufacturing and technical educators find and participate in a wide variety of professional development opportunities all year. This month FLATE is posting a variety of upcoming 2019 workshops, webinars, conferences and other events. (Check the attached flyer or go to the FLATE wiki and take a look behind the “Professional Development” button for the most current information.) We think you will find some events that you won’t want to miss. If you don’t see something that you want to learn or need to know about, please let us know and we will try to find some opportunities for you.

FLATE, in partnership with the Central Florida College will conduct a 4.5-day Industrial Robot workshop in June. Registration and educator travel and lodging support is covered by our partner FACTE through a Perkins grant. FLATE will also host a MSSC CPT/CPT+ workshop this spring (dates and location will be finalized early in January). For the post-secondary Engineering Technology crowd, the spring ET Forum will be hosted for the first time by our colleagues at Sarasota Technical College (STC) on March 28-29.

We encourage everyone to take advantage of some free local events that focus on new and emerging technologies. Two great candidates are the Synapse Innovation event in February in Tampa and the Florida HAAS Machining Educator Day hosted by Palm Beach State College Lake Worth Campus on May 2. Another good deal is the $25 Tech Tour pre-conference day hosted by FAITE and FLATE in conjunction with the Annual FACTE conference each July.

Florida educators can also sign up for free FACTE (Florida Association of Career and Technical Education) online courses. FACTE typically publishes a calendar of courses a month or two before each semester. If you are interested in strategies for integrating problem based learning or new technologies into your courses or want to know more about teaching students with disabilities or working with standards, FACTE courses can help.

Have a wonderful break from classes and we will be back with the first 2019 edition of the FLATE Focus!