WEDNESDAY, July 31, 10:15-11:00

Developing Modules for Bioindustrial Manufacturing Workforce Readiness

BioMADE, in partnership with Delgado Community College, is developing modules that will help prepare laboratory and operator technicians to enter the bioindustrial manufacturing workforce. Entry-level technicians will be a key portion of the predicted 1.1 million positions to be created in the bioindustrial workforce in the near future. This session will involve participants in module revision and development. Participants will review the pilot modules, identify questions and revisions, and generate strategies for implementing modules in existing courses and programs.

Louise Petruzzella, Senior Project Manager, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, BioMADE, Emeryville, California; Amanda Rosenzweig, Assistant Dean, School of STEM, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, Delgado Community College, New Orleans, Louisiana; Hayley Orndorf, Curriculum Developer, Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness, BioMADE, St. Paul, Minnesota

Effective Industry and Student Engagement with Speed Networking

Looking for a simple strategy for increasing recruitment, retention, and success of students? Want to develop new industry connections? Looking for an easy way for your alumni to stay connected with your program? Then Virtual Speed Networking is for you. In this session learn how colleges from across the U.S. are implementing this strategy in their programs, what the impacts have been, and what tools are available for you to host your own speed networking event.

Julie Griffin, Bio Blend Career Coach, Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement (DUE #2202011), Johnston Community College, Clayton, North Carolina; Karen Leung, Biotechnology Instructor and Internship Coordinator, Co-Principal Investigator, Increasing Student Retention and Recruitment through Alumni Programs, Speed Networking, and Industry Engagement (DUE #2202011), City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Faculty Externship Project

This presentation will explore how the NCyTE center can aid existing faculty in enhancing their technical skills and gaining up-to-date knowledge of the workplace. It will emphasize the high demand for graduates from academic cybersecurity programs in both the private sector and government. The presentation will underline the necessity for faculty to be well-versed in the workplace, work roles, and projects their students will engage in upon entering the workforce. The focus will be on how integrating this knowledge into their teaching can produce graduates who are better prepared for their future careers.

Kyle Jones, Professor, NCyTE, Sinclair, Dayton, Ohio; Eric Renegar, Professor, NCyTE, Sincalir, Dayton, Ohio

Launching My New NSF Project

Getting started on your new project can be overwhelming, but all advanced technology programs share similar issues. A panel of novice and experienced PIs will share lessons learned and best practices in starting and maintaining successful projects, including how to address unknown issues that can arise and affect your project outcomes. Come join us to learn the secrets of successful projects and PIs. Bring one of your big concerns to share. Interactive topics may include budgets, administrative support, time management, annual reporting, and industry engagement.

Moderator: Marilyn Barger, FLATE, Tampa, Florida. Panelists: Doug Laven, Mechatronics Faculty, Enhancing the Independent Mechatronics Technical Curriculum and Creating a New Pathway from Rural High Schools into Mechatronics Careers (iMEC 2.0), South Central College, N. Mankato, Minnesota; Jerry Muller; Ken Welborn

Micro Fluidics or Lab on a Chip: A Multidisciplinary Concept

The application of microfluidics is impacting markets from electronic thermal management to drug development. It is dependent upon knowledge of materials and traditional science and engineering courses. This presentation will discuss the basics of microfluidics along with the correlation and dependence upon basic scientific concepts. Examples of applications and classroom activities will be presented. A simple lab experiment will be demonstrated, and instructions provided.

Deb Newberry, MNTEC, CEO Newberry Technology Associates, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education for Service and Manufacturing Technicians

The session will focus on the education and workforce needed in the automotive industry to adapt to the shift from fuel-powered to battery-powered electric vehicles (EV). A unique integrated approach has been developed, combining evidence-based programs to meet the needs of underrepresented groups and address the technology skills gap. Developed in collaboration with industry partners, this program will use a cross-disciplinary EV manufacturing and service industry technician education hybrid curriculum to increase and diversify the pool of qualified EV manufacturing and service industry technicians. Pilots will begin in fall 2024. Session participants will learn how they can review and use the content with their students.

Rebecca Short, Director of Operations, REVVED, Clemson University Center for Workforce Development, Greenville, South Carolina; Robert Elliott, Dean, Manufacturing and Maintenance, PI, REVVED, Trident Technical College, Charleston, South Carolina; Kapil Chalil Madathil, CoPI REVVED, Professor of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 11:15-Noon

Smart Systems HyFlex Workforce for Ecosystem of Small Medium Enterprises, ManufacturingUSA, CHIPS

Through HyFlex scheduling, the Digital Transformation of Smart Systems Technologies degree has broadened access for incumbent workers, remote students, and underemployed baccalaureates. Beyond cyberphysical automation, students learn the use of emerging Industry 4.0 technologies such as digital twins, AVR, and industrial AI. Paid co-ops matched with employer needs are critical for high rates of completion (75 percent) and job placement (~100 percent) in a high-tech ecosystem of 50+ diverse businesses. Arguably, this program provides the most efficient blueprint for sustainably meeting (1) current high-tech workforce needs for 98 percent of employers and (2) the workforce ramp-up challenge for advanced manufacturing technologies accelerated by the Manufacturing USA Institutes and reshoring initiatives of the CHIPS Act.

Sam Samanta, Professor of Physics, Coordinator of Smart Systems Technologies, Finger Lakes Community College, Victor, New York

Web-Based Simulation and Remote Access Visualization Tools for Engineering and Technology Curricula

Simulation and visualization tools promote students’ understanding of phenomena at nanoscale. This session will focus on application of web-based simulation tools and remote access visualization (RAIN, Nanohub, Physicell, Phet, Compucell3D) for teaching, research, and collaboration in the areas of nanotechnology, material science, environmental science, electrical engineering, biological sciences, physics, chemistry, photonics, and other areas. Educators can use these web-based tools to enhance students’ learning of complex concepts at nanoscale without acquiring expensive equipment. Simulation experiences at GVSU for photovoltaic applications will also be presented.

Ahmed Khan, Professor, Fulbright Scholar, President, WL/Radiance International, Oak Brook, Illinois; Atilla Ozgur Cakmak, Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan

A New NSF ATE Solicitation! 2024 Changes, Funding Opportunities and Help with Proposal Development

NSF ATE lead Program Officer, Dr. Celeste Carter, will address changes in the recently released 2024 ATE Solicitation and associated funding opportunities. NSF ATE proposals are complex and can be daunting for two-year colleges. Understanding expectations and nuances of this funding opportunity contributes to proposal success. Mentor-Connect’s comprehensive, no-cost help (customized mentoring options, technical assistance, resources specific to ATE proposal development, and STEM faculty leadership development) for prospective two-year college grantees is often the key to success. Since 2012, Mentor-Connect has assisted 261 colleges with a 71 percent funding success rate for those new to ATE.

Elaine Craft, PI, NSF Grants, Mentor-Connect: Leadership Development and Outreach for ATE Forward, Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, South Carolina; Dr. V. Celeste Carter, Lead Program Officer, Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), National Science Fountation, Alexandria, Virginia

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 1:15-2:00

Are Your Surveys Serving Your Project? Find Out (Traditional Pre-Post vs Retrospective Surveys)

Many projects survey people to measure impacts and attainment of goals. These surveys should tell us about the people the program serves and whether the activities and supports are valuable and useful to them. They should be culturally responsive, inclusive, and accessible. Survey design is critically important yet is sometimes neglected. This session will examine tensions between traditional pre-post design and retrospective surveys for program evaluation. We’ll look at real-world examples, discuss the merits of both designs, and find ways to select surveys that will serve your programs in culturally responsive ways.

Sondra LoRe, Principal Evaluator and Educational Researcher: BioTech Pathways, Harford Community College; Map Your Success (GIS), Harford Community College, Bel Air, Maryland; Co-Req Mech (Mechatronics), Roane State Community College, Harriman, TN; STEM Program Evaluation, Assessment & Research (SPEAR), Maryville, Tennessee

Dissemination Through Publication—For Free Through J ATE!

The Journal of Advanced Technological Education (J ATE) is a free-to-publish and free-to-read peer-reviewed academic journal produced by and for the ATE community to disseminate innovative and informative ATE work to and beyond the two-year college community. In 2023 J ATE Connect, a professional development pilot program loosely modeled after Mentor-Connect, was developed to help new authors publish their ATE work. Come hear about the experiences of those newly published authors, how to move forward with publishing your own ATE work, and how to build publication into your next grant proposal.

Peter Kazarinoff, Faculty, J ATE, Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon; Karen Leung, Faculty, J ATE, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Bioenergy Case Studies from the Department of Energy for Community College Classrooms

In this session, we will introduce new educational case studies in bioenergy that place students in collaborative and decision-making roles using science from U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories. Perfect for inclusion in environmental science, chemistry, or biological science courses, the case studies translate real-world research into the classroom and help students develop scientific skills and practices such as obtaining and interpreting scientific data, developing models, and creating proposals. The case studies explore career opportunities and how bioenergy is being used to address real-world environmental justice and economic challenges in the U.S. and around the world. Introduce your students to science and careers in clean energy using resource from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Kelly Sturner, Learning Center Program Coordinator, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2:15-3:00

Designing the Future of Work: How to Build a Data Analytics Pathway to Fill High-Demand Jobs

“Find the need and endeavor to meet it,” said David Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Community College (SCC), in 1887. In 2021, SCC embarked on a multi-year program designed to address a critical workforce skills gap in data literacy. Professor Paul Hansford will share how the college has built a successful program to introduce data literacy learning in high schools and enroll a diverse college student body in new programs, all while attracting over 50 percent female enrollment. This session is for faculty, staff, and career pathway professionals in higher education who are looking to develop or enhance data analytics pathways, and engage industry partners to fill critical data roles.

Paul Hansford, Associate Professor, Expanding the Data Analytics Technician Pipeline from High School into College and High Demand Jobs in Southwest Ohio, Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio

10 Strategies for Engaging YOUR Students for Success

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, along with broadening participation, are important to educators and employers. Learn about strategies that have positively impacted recruitment and engaging diverse students in technician education classes and programs around the country. These fresh, cost-effective ideas may be just what you need to advance your program now, or you can incorporate them into grant proposal plans. Experienced technician educators will share what worked for them. You will leave this presentation with specific ideas that will help you increase enrollment and engagement in your technician education programs.

Pamela Silvers, Co-PI, Mentor-Connect, Florence, South Carolina; Sarah Belknap, Assistant Professor, Hispanic Serving Institution Advanced Technological Education Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York; Juan Rodriguez, Assistant Professor, HSI ATE Hub 2, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York

Assessing and Evaluating Industry Partnerships: Who, What, How?

Planning and routinely conducting assessments of our education-industry partnerships allows us to gauge the health of these critical relationships and ensure they continue to be mutually satisfying and productive. This session will present a partnership evaluation process that facilitates the collection of partner involvement data, along with a demonstration of the Partnership Dashboard, a visual data aggregator developed collaboratively by The Rucks Group and NSF ATE Working Partners Project & Workshops. Join us to learn more about capturing partner involvement details and how the resultant conversations can be used to shape and and deepen productive partnerships.

Mary Slowinski, PI, Working Partners Project & Workshops, Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington; Rachael Bower, co-PI, Working Partners Project & Workshops, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

Technical Applications in Agriculture: Training Secondary Teachers in Articulated Curriculum

This session will review the Technical Applications in Agriculture project and allow industry advisory members to share the industry impact of curriculum and training. Additionally, we will share how industry supported project expansion beyond the original budget. Finally, we will discuss the lessons we learned in building a new career pathway in precision agriculture and what doors opened up as the next steps in the process.

Keith Olander, Executive Director, AgCentric; Dean of Agricultural Studies, Technical Applications in Agriculture, Central Lakes College, Staples, Minnesota; Carl Aakre, Director of Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), Technical Applications in Agriculture, Minnesota

VR: The Good, Bad, and Ugly—Findings from a Hybrid Diesel Program

Explore the forefront of educational innovation at our session on virtual reality (VR) promising practices, based on insights from the Diesel by Distance program at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama. Discover what truly works and what doesn’t in the realm of VR education. Delve into a comprehensive discussion on the program’s findings, gaining valuable insights into the successful integration of VR into distance learning. Uncover the transformative potential of VR technologies and learn what to expect as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of virtual education.

Anna Beard, Diesel by Distance Project Coordinator; PI, Developing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Women and Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training, Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama; Lacy Farr, Student, Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, Alabama

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 3:45-4:30

Collaborating with Employers to Create Future-Facing Technician Skill Standards

The “IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond” project, funded by the NSF, convened over 250 employers from across the country to create tools that help IT programs align curriculum with workforce needs. The project supports educators by providing skill-standard products (job skills, key performance indicators) for IT job clusters and by teaching the development cycle used to create those products. Attendees will learn how to implement the ITSS process—which is powered by the BILT (Business and Industry Leadership Team) model “engine”—and effectively collaborate with employers to develop skill standards. This process works with any technical discipline.

Ann Beheler, Principal Investigator, IT Skill Standards 2020 and Beyond, Collin College, Frisco, TX

Survey Says: ATE and Economic Development Work Together! What Does It Look Like?

This session will unpack data collected in the 2023 ATE annual survey for the Hidden Innovations Infrastructure (HII) research project at Rutgers University Education and Employment Research Center (EERC). The goal of the survey was to discover what economic development means to NSF ATE grantees. Many grantees responded that they had a stated goal addressing economic development. What does that mean, and what does that look like? How can a good relationship with ED enhance our work? The project team will share survey data to set the stage for discussion on how we can all make the most of these relationships.

Michelle Van Noy, Director, Education and Employment Research Center, The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey; Marilyn Barger, Senior Education Advisor, The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure: Understanding the Economic Development Role of Technician Education in the Changing Future of Work, Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE), Orlando, Florida

Integrating Work-Based Learning into an Existing HVAC Program: A Co-Op Approach

This session will show how a summer co-op was integrated into an existing HVAC program while still keeping students on track to graduate in their original five-semester track. We will talk about how the co-op came to existence, the way classes were modified, what content the students complete in the class, and most importantly the success of the program. At the end we hope you will be able to see how you could incorporate a work-based learning opportunity for your program.

Justin Herndon, Department Head, Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, South Carolina

THURSDAY, August 1, 8:00-8:45

Scalable Smart Manufacturing Workforce Development Community Model with VR/Digital Twin Technologies

The most significant barrier to the expansion of smart manufacturing technologies is the lack of a trained workforce caused by teacher shortages and inconvenient access to training facilities. Texas A&M University, CESMII, the national Smart Manufacturing Institute, and Amatrol will share the results of a year-long project designed to solve this problem through a scalable community model that distributes the training resources to the point of learner access with virtual reality and interactive multimedia online short certification courses. This community model also includes a teacher training academy whose purpose is to upskill teachers in high schools, colleges, and industry throughout Texas in SM skills.

Amarnath Banerjee, Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Affairs, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education, CESMII the National Smart Manufacturing Institute, Los Angeles, California; Paul Perkins, President, Amatrol, Inc., Jeffersonville, Indiana

Industry Partnerships to the Rescue: Filling the Growing CTE Instructor Shortages

Does this sound familiar? You have worked hard to develop the perfect CTE program. An ATE grant helped you stock the lab with expensive equipment, your curriculum is meeting the needs of local employers, your classrooms are filling with students, and the administration is happy. There is just one last problem to solve: teachers. You and your full-time colleagues (if you are lucky enough to have those) can’t cover all the classes, and qualified, available adjunct instructors are becoming harder and harder to find. Industry partners may be your answer.

Marcella (Marci) Gale, Mechatronics Faculty and Program Head, Improving Advanced Manufacturing Technician Education Using Industry Partnerships (DUE #2202015), Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg, Virginia

THURSDAY, August 1, 9:00-9:45

Transforming the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Empower Students and Promote Program Growth

The success of a program is more than technical skills training. It requires a combination of technical skills and crucial workforce skills. The Valencia College biotechnology program has integrated these workforce skills into the curriculum, including time management, communication, budgeting, teamwork, and networking. In addition, the program has focused on improving the internship experience for students by streamlining the process, increasing the number and diversity of biotech internships offered, and enhancing the related curriculum. As a result, these initiatives have helped enrich and promote program growth, leading to student success.

Susan Ingersoll, Professor and Program Director of Biotechnology, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, Florida; Sothy Kien, Instructional Lab Supervisor, Improving the Biotechnology Internship Experience to Better Prepare Student Technicians for the Modern Workforce, Valencia College, Orlando, Florida

A Tool to Foster Transparency in Work-Based Learning

For work-based learning (WBL) to be successful, students must be able to meet or exceed expectations. To improve expectation transparency and accountability, hallmarks of inclusion, we have developed a simple virtual tool to clarify expectations, success metrics, baseline assessments, and teaching strategy-support for each WBL experience. Implementation of this tool has positively impacted community college WBL student success and confidence. Attendees will learn how to integrate this tool into WBL programs through engagement with both students and industry partners, and assess its effects.

Karen Leung, Biotechnology Instructor and Internship Coordinator, A Collaborative Approach to Work-Based Learning in Biotechnology: Building Inclusive Lab Environments, City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Transitioning Curricula to Embrace Industry 4.0 and Support Advanced Manufacturing

This session will address the necessity of teaching students the concepts that enable Industry 4.0 at the two-year college level. Today, Industry 4.0 has become accepted as the term used to describe how modern industry is transforming itself by utilizing digital technology to modify how automation works, making it more efficient and adaptive. The most practical way to make this happen is with the creation of a one-year certificate that effectively covers the enabling technologies used to create the manufacturing facility of the future. Industry is looking for employees that can successfully support their transition to this new paradigm.

Gary Mullett, Professor, Department Chair Advanced Engineering Technologies, National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, Springfield Technical Community College, Springfield, Massachusetts

Leveraging Slack for Student Collaboration

Slack (slack.com) is a widely adopted cloud-based team communication platform in industry. This session will present a case study showcasing the successful use of Slack in fostering collaboration among undergraduate students across multiple technology courses. It will provide insights into how Slack was integrated into curriculum to enhance communication, project management, and teamwork among students. Attendees will learn about the setup of Slack workspaces, the creation of course-specific channels, the integration of tools, and the adoption of digital communication best practices in order to enrich the educational experience and prepare students for the collaborative demands of the tech industry.

David Singletary, Professor, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida; Pamela Brauda, Professor, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida

THURSDAY, August 1, 10:15-11:00

Partnering with ATEs, Industry, and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes to Develop Microcredentials

This presentation will focus on industry engagement to facilitate education. The presenters will discuss how their ATE Coordination Network project—which included community colleges, Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP), and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MII)—leveraged existing relationships and built new ones to help create a no-cost microcredential. Attendees will learn about ways to connect to other ATE projects and how to locate and engage with their local MEP. The value of including one or more MII and how to connect to them will also be shared.

Evelyn Brown, Director, Extension Research and Development, The Robotics/Automation & Cybersecurity Knowledge Sharing Coordination Network (TRACKS-CN), NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina; Aimee Durham, Department Chair, TRACKS-CN, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, North Carolina; Zack Hubbard, Chief Information Officer, TRACKS-CN, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, North Carolina

Leveraging the BILT Model to Inform Regional Curriculum and the Creation of Competency-Based Badges

We will explore utilization of the BILT model in a regional context involving eight community colleges to drive curriculum improvement and badge creation. The BILT’s KSA analysis is used to identify gaps in curriculum content using industry input. This process drives the creation of baseline curriculum content and defines badge competencies. Produced content is housed and distributed utilizing platforms including Odigia and Open Education Resources. Adapting the BILT model’s KSA analysis to a regional consortium drives the development of competency-based badges, enhancing workforce readiness and providing students flexibility in obtaining short-term credentials and/or degree completion across institutions.

Linda Robinson, Project Director, AWESM, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston Salem, North Carolina; Bo Bunn, Curriculum Coordinator, AWESM, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Shawn Meck, Factory Manager, Progress Rail, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Kevin Osborne, Vice President for Economic Mobility and Workforce Outcomes, Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

THURSDAY, August 1, 11:15-Noon

Industry Bridge to Faculty (IB2F): Hiring SMEs to Teach and Share Their Know-How

With 7,500 to 10,000 job roles currently needing to be filled, the biopharmaceutical industry in North Carolina is experiencing tremendous growth. The Industry Bridge to Faculty (IB2F) project is addressing that need by hiring adjuncts or full-time faculty directly from the biopharma industry. This includes workers who will soon be retiring. This gets their extensive industry knowledge into the classroom to better train and teach the next generation of biopharma technicians. The first step we took was an informational event to let industry workers know about this unique opportunity to share their real-world experience and institutional knowledge as faculty. Attendees will learn how they can adopt a similar model at their school to support other in-demand technical industries.

Cynthia Lawrence, Director of Biotechnology WCE, IB2F, Wake Tech, Cary, North Carolina; Russ Read, Executive Director, National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce; Co-Pi, InnovATEBIO, Forsyth Tech, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Julie Griffin, Career Coach, InnovATEBIO, Johnston Community College, Smithfield, North Carolina

Re-visioning and Implementing a Precision Machining Manufacturing Program

With over 300 machine shops in the region, machining is one of the core elements of manufacturing in south-central Kansas. This session will walk attendees through the steps WSU Tech took and the resources utilized to update its machining technology curriculum, machines in its machining lab, and support structures. WSU Tech took a three-prong approach to re-visioning the machining program to better align with industry: reviewing, evaluating, and reviewing curriculum, leveraging public and private resources to match the lab environment to industry, and thinking outside of the box to promote machining to K-12 and underrepresented students.

Scott Lucas, Vice President, Aviation and Manufacturing, WSU Tech, Wichita, Wichita, Kansas

Faculty Perspective on Colleges Working Together to Improve Student Outcomes

The presenters will share faculty perspectives on approaches to improving student outcomes and retention. Sometimes, the biggest problem regarding student success is the faculty. We tend to become isolated from the latest industry trends and best practices. Attendees will learn about the benefits and synergy that can be obtained when community colleges work together instead of competing against each other. (We all have the same mission.) Attendees will also hear about techniques for improving student learning that works or has the potential to work.

Olle Gladso, Instructor, Educating Autonomous Vehicle Technicians, Riverland Community College, Albert Lea, Minnesota; Shannon Mohn, Instructor, AMPED Technology Certification: Advanced Modules in Powered Electric Drive Technology Certification, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Moorhead, Minnesota

Built! A Statewide Seamless Engineering Technology AS-to-BS Pathway to PE

Florida’s Associate of Science Engineering Technology (ASET) degree is a well coordinated degree program offered by 23 of the 28 colleges in the Florida College System. A recent survey of faculty and industry revealed several Industrial Industry 4.0 skills that graduates will need as they enter the technician workforce. This presentation will share how the skill gaps were identified, and how the colleges are eliminating the gaps with new AS and BS programs. These new programs provide a seamless 2+2 articulation path for ASET graduates in any specialization. Additionally, FLATE initiated a statewide industry advisory board to increase industry engagement and program visibility.

Marilyn Barger, Senior Educational Advisor, FLATE, FloridaMakes, Tampa, Florida; Sam Ajlani, FLATE, College of Central Florida, Lecanto, Florida; Sidney Martin, FLATE, St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg, Florida

Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Developing an AI Degree

This session will cover the strategies, challenges, and recommendations associated with developing and offering an AI degree based on the experience from Miami Dade College, the first college in Florida to launch AI associate and bachelor’s degrees. The lead faculty and administrator behind the AI programs will dive into topics like curriculum, industry partners, resources available, faculty professional development, and recruiting students for the program. Presenters will also share the lessons learned after offering the program to over 600 students. Let the experience from Miami Dade College be your guide as you develop a pathway for your AI program.

Antonio Delgado, Vice President, Innovation and Tech Partnerships, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida; Eduardo Salcedo, Computer Science Faculty, Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida

THURSDAY, August 1, 1:45-2:30

Using NI Elvis and MyDAQ to Support Remote Labs for STEM Education

This presentation will discuss the detailed designs using NI MyDAQs and NI ELVIS IIIs to build circuits that can be remotely accessed from outside of the college. Lab experiments with RC and RL circuits, relays, MyDAQs, and the NI ELVISmx software suite can be used to evaluate RC and RL circuits. Likewise, lab experiments for active filters can be evaluated using NI ELVIS IIIs and NI Measurement Live software. Both the MyDAQ and ELVIS III boxes connect to computers via a USB interface. Each of the four rack-mounted computers is connected to both an ELVIS III and MyDAQ.

Andrew Bell, Department Chair, Engineering, SCME and MNT-EC, Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, Indiana

An Easier Path to Smart Manufacturing Skills in the Workforce

Advanced technologies are paving new paths for today’s workers, offering opportunities to upskill existing workers and train new workers for high-paying careers in advanced manufacturing and energy industries. CESMII, the national Smart Manufacturing Institute; SACA, the Smart Automation Certification Alliance; and Amatrol, a leader in career and technical education (CTE) solutions, will share how colleges can accelerate the availability of training for these career pathways by leveraging industry-driven microcredentials to shape instructor and workforce training programs and how workers can accumulate microcredentials as they work and apply them to emerging two- and four-year degrees.

Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education, CESMII the National Smart Manufacturing Institute, Los Angeles, California; Sue Smith, Executive Director, Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), Clarksville, Indiana; Paul Perkins, President, Amatrol, Inc., Jeffersonville, Indiana

THURSDAY, August 1, 3:45-4:30

Revolutionizing Workforce Training: Portable PLC and Electrical Trainers for Industry

This session will introduce custom PLC and electrical trainers designed to meet urgent industry skill gaps like basic electrical testing and systematic troubleshooting. These trainers are part of a flexible eLearning program with a strong focus on practical, hands-on learning. The presenters will share how these tools, combined with formative and summative assessments, have led to high success and retention rates in FlexLab, which allows learners to engage on their own schedules.

Darrin Falk, Mechatronics Instructor, Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Tim Tewalt, Program Director Mechatronics Emeritus, Completed Projects: 1902499 Technological Education in Cyber-Physical Systems Projects & 1902499 Technological Education in Cyber-Physical Systems, Mechatronics Training, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The Needed Math Project: Promoting Student Success in Manufacturing Workplaces

The goal of the Needed Math Project is to improve the alignment of the mathematics taught in community colleges with the mathematics necessary for technicians working in production environments. The project involves research based on a large-scale survey of company personnel and community college faculty. Our objectives at HI-TEC are twofold: first, to present our findings, and second, to discuss scenarios based on the research results. These scenarios, currently being developed by the Needed Math team with colleagues from industry and community college faculty, aim to illuminate how the identified mathematical competencies are applied across diverse manufacturing contexts.

Lisa Seidman, Instructor, Writer, Needed Math, MATC, Madison, Wisconsin; Marilyn Barger, FLATE, Tampa, Florida

Using the BeagleBone Black and Node-RED to Teach IIoT Concepts

This session will describe the use of a low-cost trainer based on the BeagleBone Black controller to provide students with hands-on activities that demonstrate IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) concepts.

Richard Hartmann, Professor, Preparing Robotics Technicians for Industry 4.0, Stark State College, North Canton, Ohio