FLATE’s
outreach strategy encompasses working with industry leaders and educational
partners across the
state. These synergistic alliances have enabled FLATE to
expand its outreach initiatives, streamline curriculum, and offer professional
development opportunities that have established crosswalks between academia and
industry. While these strategic initiatives are spearheaded by FLATE, there are
many individuals who over the years have collaborated with FLATE in its mission
to promote, educate, and train
Florida’s high-tech workforce. These
individuals deserve special mention, and are recognized by FLATE each year
during the Manufacturers Association of Florida, Manufacturers Summit.
This year’s awardees
join a distinguished group of educators and industry professionals who have
made significant contributions in enhancing technician training and education
in Florida. Starting on the secondary education level, Dale Toney, recipient of
the 2013 FLATE Secondary Educator of the Year Award, exemplifies qualities sought
in an educator. Toney who is the robotics and automation teacher at Marion
Technical Institute (MTI) in Ocala has been teaching engineering technology for
several years.
Toney transfers his
passion for engineering by finding creative ways to capture students’ interest.
He has
established strong partnerships not only with local industry, but with
teachers and community college educators across Florida. His program at MTI is
aligned with the industry driven, MSSC CPT certification which has added to the
skills set of his students, making them better qualified for higher paying
jobs. Toney is big on hands-on projects, and regularly takes students on local
industry tours, or invites industry professionals to provide first-hand,
real-world perspective to students. Most recently, he won a scholarship to
attend the HI-TEC conference in Austin where he participated in conference
sessions about new technologies, student recruitment/retention, and
strengthening industry/workforce partnerships.
On the
post-secondary education level, Dr. Alessandro Anzalone, professor and director
of the A.S. degree in engineering technology (A.S.E.T), has been a leading
factor in driving enrollment of students into the A.S.E.T program at
Hillsborough Community College in Brandon. “Dr. Anzalone’s excellent teaching,
mentoring and outreach efforts have done much to dramatically expand the ET
degree and certificate program at HCC” said Sabrina Peacock, dean of Arts &
Sciences at HCC. Under
him, enrollment into the A.S.E.T program has sharply risen from two students to
180, and
is steadily increasing every academic year.
Anzalone
believes the strength of the A.S.E.T degree lies in its industry-centric focus
which has helped all
graduates to either get a better job, or climb up the
corporate latter. “The degree is also adaptable and flexible, and offers
transferability of skills and knowledge across various engineering sectors.” He
credits FLATE for being a driving force in ensuring the success of the program
at HCC and those offered at 13 state and community colleges across the state. “The
most important contribution of FLATE is transforming manufacturing technology
into engineering technology” said Anzalone. “This has not only dispelled
negative connotations attached to old world manufacturing, but aligned it with
engineering so students/parents view it in a slightly different perspective”
Anzalone said.
Outside
his role as an educator, Anzalone is involved in a number of high-tech
projects. Anzalone is well-connected with other institutions of higher
education, local manufacturing industry. He has been working on
an innovative project at USF to design, build, and test prototype of a product
that can be used primarily in developing countries. He is also involved in the
ETAM educational project partnering with Polk State College, Tallahassee
Community College and State College of Florida. “I believe this cross
pollination between schools is very important as it leads to a better
streamlined curriculum that prepares students for the workforce.”
On
the industry end of the continuum, Roy Sweatman, president and CEO of Southern
Manufacturing
Technologies, a leading high-tech manufacturer in Tampa, has been
a prominent figure in representing the voice of local industry, and
establishing a platform for industry to engage with students as well as
educators. Sweatman has hosted many “Made
in Florida” industry tours for middle and high school students in Pinellas,
Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Through these tours, Sweatman has met, hired
as well as mentored many students for part time work giving them a real-world view
about manufacturing careers. Sweatman is on the advisory committee of the
Pinellas Technical Education Center’s machining program, the Florida West Coast
Apprentice Board, and several other local workforce and education advisory
committees. “Sweatman has promoted a very open and receptive culture, making
SMT a warm and welcoming place for students to get a first-hand view of
advanced manufacturing operations and careers supports industry at all levels”
said Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE.
At
the national level, Roy Sweatman is an appointed member of the U.S Department
of Commerce’s
Manufacturing Council for the past two years as well as that
organizations’ subcommittee for workforce development. In that capacity, he and
24 other industry leaders advise the Secretary of Commerce on all aspects of
competitiveness and respond to regular input/ request from Florida manufacturers
and regional organizations to represent their interests at the national level. Roy
has also served in numerous leadership roles in the National Tooling and
Machine Association (NMTA) for over 20 years, focusing on both the
manufacturing industry and its workforce issues. Within Florida, Roy
participates in the Manufacturers Association of Florida (MAF) annual meeting,
and focuses on impacting/ influencing state legislators for manufacturing
friendly policies and regulations.
2013
marks the seventh year of the FLATE awards. Since the implementation of the
awards program in 2006, FLATE has recognized 14 educators in secondary and
post-secondary educational institutions, and seven industry partners. For more
information on the FLATE awards, or to nominate an awardee for next year, visit
www.fl-ate.org, or contact Dr. Marilyn
Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org/813.259.6578.
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