AFC Joint Spring Commission Conference Highlights Industry-Education Partnerships

Manufacturing partnerships at Tallahassee Community College (TCC) are in the spotlight in May. TCC is an Exemplary Practice nominee for the Association of Florida Colleges (AFC) Occupational and Workforce Education Commission (OWEC) and will be presenting “A Holistic Approach to Improving a Manufacturing Environment” at the upcoming AFC Joint Spring Commission Conference. In this presentation, Michelle Baragona, senior human resources performance consultant with Danfoss Turbocor (DT) and Rick Frazier, director of workforce development at Tallahassee Community College will describe the involvement of TCC with DT prior their relocation to Tallahassee from Canada.

DT and TCC are partnered to develop workplace solutions based on a series of incorporated approaches and assessments including the activities of job profiling, pre-employment assessment (and not just the traditional skill base assessments most companies use), satisfaction surveys, holistic evaluations, job coaching, soft skills training, employee performance improvement, and technical skills training. As the presenters stated “typically most community colleges only focus on the skills training aspect and miss other opportunities to assist the company.” In the scenario presented, DT views the college as a partner and wants to increase the relationship, very much a long view vs. the short “one and done,” relationship most community colleges have with their industry partners.”

FLATE commends our Engineering Technology (ET) program partners at TCC for making the all-important connection found between industry partnerships with educational institutions. Does your industry or college

have a partnership story to share? If so, please contact FLATE, as well as take the opportunity to recognize your industry, college, and high school partners who make the connection real through their support for our Florida advanced manufacturing students. Winners of the Industry Honors and Professional Recognition Program are recognized in three categories: Industry Distinguished Service Award for industry personnel recognizing outstanding contributions to promote technology education and career awareness in support of advanced manufacturing; Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator of the Year and Manufacturing Secondary Educator of the Year recognize educators in colleges, technical schools, and high

schools for outstanding contributions to manufacturing and/or engineering technology education. Please refer to the flier for additional details regarding these awards. Winners receive awards during the MAF Annual Manufacturers Summit Awards Banquet in Orlando, FL. Nominations are open May 1 through August 31 and online nomination is fast and easy: embed award nomination form here

For more information about the FLATE awards visit http://www.fl-ate.org/projects/awards.html, or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org.