Address Industry Identified Industry 4.0 Technologies-Related Skills Need for Manufacturing Technicians

(NSF ATE #2148138)

This project directly impacts the reality that Industry 4.0 skill deficiencies exist within Florida’s manufacturing technician workforce. The previous project, DUE 1939173, 4/1/20 – 4/1/21, Technician Future of Work Issues Caucus for Florida Community Colleges and Manufacturers, identified Florida- specific technician workforce skills deficiencies and a statewide collection of Florida manufacturers willing to work on this problem. This project confronts the skills deficiency issue with the creation of a model for cooperative interactions on Industry 4.0 identified skill needs between Florida industry, state colleges, FloridaMakes, and the Department of Education. 

This project was funded by the National Science foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE): Grant # #2148138 which is a partnership of FloridaMakes, FLATE a part of the FloridaMakes Network, the College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Polk State College, and St. Petersburg College.

Curriculum Updates:

Sam Ajlani, Ron Eaglin, Jay Paterson/Susan Frandsen, and Marilyn Barger (facilitating and consulting) developed and disseminated a data management survey to all colleges with related ET programs based on the first Caucus grant, presented the survey results at the Fall 2022 ET Forum held virtually on November 18, 2022. From the results, after looking at college credit certificate (CCC) and ET A.S. specialization options, it was determined that it would be best to modify an existing specialization: Advanced Manufacturing.  The curriculum for the new specialization was finalized at the Spring 2025 ET Forum, to be implemented in 2026-27 academic year.

To add the new skills. the Florida Department of Education required the creation of a new specialization to replace Advanced Manufacturing.  A follow-up survey was sent to ET educators, program managers and industry partners to choose a name for the new specialization and the final decision was Automation and Manufacturing.   The implementation of the new specialization allows time for colleges to teach-out/graduate any existing enrollments in the now daggered Advanced Manufacturing and to put the new specialization through the individual college’s curriculum process to be included in their official catalogs as well as to develop and introduce the new specialization and related CCC’s.

• Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Frameworks (list of standards) for the new Engineering Technology AS degree specialization.
  • New Automation and Manufacturing Frameworks
  • Proposed College Credit Certificates (CCC) modifications
  • 2025-2026 Florida Engineering Technology (ET) A.S. Degrees & Certificates
• Comprehensive Engineering Technology (ET) AS Degree Course Database that lists the current degree specializations and the courses currently offered at 23 colleges for those specializations.
  • ASET Course Database (Work in Progress)

Video Series:

This Manufacturing Education Video Series was designed to inform, recruit, and inspire Florida’s next generation of manufacturing talent.  Targeting prospective students, educators & program leaders, policy makers & funders, and industry partners.  The series includes videos on these topics:

• FLATE Documentary
• Statewide Engineering Technology Industry Advisory Board (SETIAB)
• Industry Outreach for presenting to Manufacturers
• Engineering Technology (ET) Forum
• What is Automation?
• Specific Florida College ET Programs (8)

Click here to learn how FLATE is updating ET Pathways in Florida!

Professional Development:

• Professional Development to up-skill Engineering Technology Degree faculty related to manufacturer identified Industry 4.0 technician skills need:

  • Cybersecurity for Manufacturing Technicians Parts I-IV – Webinar Series 
    • Part I Webinar, December 7, 2022
    • Part II Webinar, February 27, 2023 
    • Part III Webinar, March 22, 2023 
    • Part IV Webinar, May 10, 2023
  • Robots for AI and Industry 4.0 Training Demo Webinar, March 24, 2023 
  • Cybersecurity Across Disciplines, College of Central Florida, January 5-6, 2023
  • Mechatronics 101 Educators Workshop, Hillsborough Community College, March 9 2023
  • FANUC Aligning Skills Between Industry & Education Workshop, April 20, 2023
  • Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) Workshops – Cohort of educators completed beginner, intermediate and advanced PLC training from August 2023 to December 2024 taught by Sam Ajlani, College of Central Florida. 
    • August 3-4, 2023 (Beginner)
      • October 6, 2023 (Virtual) 
      • November 3, 2023 (Virtual) 
      • December 11-12, 2023 (In-person) 
    • August 12-13, 2024 (Intermediate)
    • December 16-17, 2024 (Advanced)
  • Leveraging an Open Lab to Provide Greater Access for Students in Your Manufacturing Program Webinar, February 23, 2024
  • Mechatronics and Smart Manufacturing 101 Workshop, St. Petersburg College, FL, March 1, 2024
    • Mechatronics 101 Follow-up workshop, Virtual, June 10, 2024 
  • Overview of AI in Manufacturing Webinar, April 18, 2024 
  • Edge Computing-A Feasible and Integrated Approach to Collecting System Data Webinar, June 5, 2024 
  • Edge Computing Workshop, Hillsborough Community College, August 8-9, 2024
  • AI for Industry-Navigating Policy, Ethics and Innovation Webinar, August 18, 2024
  • Data Analytics in Manufacturing: From Data Collecting to Decision Making Webinar, November 12, 2024 
  • Mechatronics 101 Workshop, Polk State College, November 20, 2025
    • Mechatronics 101 Follow-up workshop, Virtual, December 15, 2025

Industry Engagement: Statewide ET Industry Advisory Board

The Florida Statewide Engineering Technology Industry Advisory Board (SETIAB) was created in Spring 2023 to engage Florida manufacturers with Florida colleges offering two- and four-year degree programs in Engineering Technology.  The goals of SETIAB are to ensure that the more than twenty ET programs in the state continue to meet the rapidly evolving needs of industry, raise the visibility of the skills and competencies of the program completers, and raise the visibility of the A.S. and B.S. Engineering Technology degree programs around the state. Additionally, SETIAB provides a place for industry from across the state to meet and learn about manufacturing in other regions of Florida. 

The first SETIAB meeting took place on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, the evening before the Spring Engineering Technology Forum (ET Forum). The initial board consisted of industry representatives from four state and community colleges, focusing on reviewing degree program competencies, recruiting additional members from other colleges, and establishing its organizational structure and bylaws.   

The SETIAB Board includes industry representatives from Florida colleges that offer the ET degree, a member from FloridaMakes, a representative from Florida’s K-12 education system, and a representative from the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education. Supporting members (non-voting) include educator representatives from college programs that have an industry member on the board and representatives from FLATE. A college may have more than one industry representative on the board, which helps ensure broad geographic representation and inclusive participation from all manufacturing sectors. 

For updates, list of members and more information, visit the SETIAB website: https://fl-ate.org/setiab.

Other Conference Presentations/Papers:

• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E. (2022). ATE PI Panel Presentation: Bold Innovations in Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education. 2022 ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference. Washington, DC.
• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E.; John Sands (2022). Cyber Security for Manufacturing presentation. 2022 Virtual Engineering Technology Forum. virtual.
• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E. (2022). FLATE Overview at Manufacturing Conversation. Manufacturing Conversation @Central Virginia Community College. Lynchburg, VA.
• Marilyn Barger, Sam Ajlani, Phill Centonze (2022). Future of Work Issues for Florida Two Year Engineering Technology Program. 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Minneapolis, MN.
• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E., Richard Gilbert PhD. (2022). Industry-Identified Skills Gaps and Education Pipeline Response. Engineering Technology Leadership Institute, Engineering Technology Leaders: Taking the Next Steps-ASEE. Alexandria, VA.
• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E. FloridaMakes and FLATE; Richard Gilbert Ph.D. University of South Florida College of Engineering (2023). Industry 4.0 Technology Skill Expectation Integration into Engineering Technology Technical Workforce. 2023 ASEE Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration. North Charleston, SC.
• Marilyn Barger Ph.D., P.E. (2023). Introducing Dual – Credit Web – Based Mechatronics with High Schools. 2022 Annual Florida Career Pathways Network (FCPN). Jensen Beach.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE senior education advisor (2023). NCyTE Center Cyber Security Across Disciplines Workshop. Palos Hills, IL.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Senior Educational Advisor; Dr. Richard Gilbert, University of South Florida (2023). Edge Computing 4.0. HI-TEC & NSF ATE PI Conference. Atlanta, GA.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Senior Education Advisor; Richard Gilbert, University of South Florida (2023). Industry 4.0 Edge Computing Demonstration Projects for Manufacturing Technology Education. 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition. Baltimore, MD.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Senior Educational Advisor. Dr. Richard Gilbert, University of South Florida (2023). Responding to Industry 4.0-Driven Required Skills with Edge Devices. NSF ATE PI Conference. Washington, DC.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Senior Educational Advisor (2023). SETIAB presentation to the FACTE Advisory Board. FACTE Annual Conference. Orlando, FL.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, Ernie Friend, Executive Director, Danielly Orozco-Cole, Manager for Career & Technical Education, (FLATE) (2024). Statewide Industry Engagement for CTE Program. 2024 Florida Career Pathways Network Symposium. Stuart, FL.
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, (FLATE) (2024). Create and Maintain a Pipeline of Skilled Workforce Description. 2024 Florida Career Pathways Network Symposium. Stuart, FL. http://flate.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/155756616/FCPN%20SETIAB%20%2801022024%29%20emf%20%281%29.pdf
• Dr. Marilyn Barger, FLATE Senior Educational Advisor (2024). CIEC Cybersecurity and Engineering Technicians (Session 1 & Session II). ASEE Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration. GardenGrove, CA.
• Barger, M., & Eaglin, R., & Ajlani, S., & Toosi, M., & Martin, S. E., & Gilbert, R., & Frandsen, S. (2024, June), Board 313: Industry 4.0 Engineering Technology Skill Integration into Florida’s Technical Workforce Environment Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/board-313-industry-4-0-engineering-technology-skill-integration-into-florida-s-technical-workforce-environment
• Barger, M., Orozco-Cole, D. (2024). Updating Florida’s Engineering Technology Career Pathways. Updating Florida’s Engineering Technology Career Pathways. This article describes the use and application of the Engineering Technology (ET) AS Degree Course Database that lists the current degree specializations and the courses currently offered at 23 colleges for those specializations. The published newsletter article is available at FLATE Focus February’s newsletter here https://flate-mif.blogspot.com/2024/02/updating-floridas-engineering.html.