Supporting Pipeline Development — FLATE Serves as Special Projects Judge at K–12 STEM Fairs

Across Florida, K–12 STEM and science fairs are doing more than showcasing student projects — they are building the future workforce. These events give students the opportunity to explore real-world challenges, apply critical thinking skills, and present their ideas to industry and education professionals.

The State Science & Engineering Fair of Florida will take place March 31–April 2, 2026, in Lakeland, bringing together top student innovators from across the state. For many participants, this state-level competition represents the culmination of months of research, experimentation, and problem-solving — and for some, it opens the door to national opportunities.

Click here to learn more about being a judge at the state competition! There are many manufacturing-related categories to choose from.

FLATE proudly served as a Special Projects Judge at the K–12 Regional STEM Fairs in Hillsborough County and Pinellas County in February 2026.

More than 800 students representing 305 schools presented innovative projects spanning engineering, robotics, environmental sciences, and emerging technologies. The winning Special Project received prize funding and scholarship support generously provided by the Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA), along with other dedicated local and national partners.

Why Participation Matters

STEM fairs are a powerful entry point into high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology by:

• Building confidence and communication skills
• Strengthening problem-solving and technical abilities
• Connecting students with industry professionals, and
• Inspiring career exploration at an early age.

How the Process Works

While guidelines vary by district, most STEM fairs follow a similar pathway:

1. School-Level Fair: Students develop independent research or engineering projects during the school year.
2. District/Regional Fair: Top projects advance to a county or regional competition and are evaluated by volunteer judges.
3. Judging & Awards: Projects are reviewed within discipline categories and may receive medals, scholarships, or advancement opportunities.
4. State Advancement: Exceptional projects move on to compete at the State Science & Engineering Fair of Florida.

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FLATE encourages educators to continue fostering inquiry-based learning in the classroom, students to challenge themselves by participating, and community and industry partners to serve as mentors, sponsors, and judges.

When education and industry collaborate, we strengthen Florida’s STEM pipeline and help students see themselves as the next generation of innovators, engineers, and advanced manufacturing leaders.

Florida Students Shine at NSF ATE PI Conference

The annual NSF ATE Principal Investigator Conference, hosted by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) was held in Washington, D.C. the last week of October.  Two Engineering Technology students from Polk State College participated in the conference and wowed many attendees with their poster presentation “Industry 4.0 Integration”. The Polk State team collaborated with a team from the Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida, Mexico. The project connected real-time OT and IT data systems to enhance cross-cultural learning and develop smart manufacturing competencies across international teams. 

Click on their poster to learn more. Over fifty student posters from advanced technology programs across the country filled the Regency Ballroom at the Omni Shoreham Hotel the afternoon of October 28.

The students, sponsored by the NSF ATE grants at their colleges and supported by the annual conference, are an integral part of the conference program, showcasing the highly skilled technician graduates from these programs. In addition to their poster presentation, the students meet with attending industry representatives, attend plenary sessions, visit D.C. museums, and are recognized by the conference organizers and faculty during an awards breakfast. It’s a proud moment for the student and their mentors alike as we anticipate them taking their roles in today’s advanced technology workplaces and moving into leadership positions.

Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President & CEO, AACC, also presented Jasmine Brown, with an AACC award for excellence at the conference. Jasmine stated that for her, the highlight of the conference was presenting their Global Industry 4.0 Skills Development project and sharing the impact of their cross-border collaboration. 

"It was inspiring to engage with educators, researchers, and industry professionals who each offered different perspectives on Industry 4.0. Some described their institutions as still transitioning through Industry 3.0, while others felt they were on the evolving edge of technological transformation. Hearing these diverse experiences helped me see how the adoption of smart manufacturing and digital integration varies widely across regions, yet we all share the same goal of preparing the next generation of skilled technicians and engineers". 

- Jasmine Brown

In addition to hosting a booth display at the ATE Connects showcase session, the FLATE team attending the conference presented an Innovation Demonstration, “Preparing Operation Technicians for Process Control in Industry 4.0 Workspace”. This fast-paced session focused on using a hands-on simulated antenna system to enforce PID (proportional, integral, differential) control models in Industry 4.0 environments. 

 This activity, including a component list, video, and instructions, will be available on the FLATE website in the coming months and will be announced in the monthly FLATE Focus newsletter.

Reducing Student Barriers to Manufacturing Careers

In October 2025, Mechanism (formerly the Urban Manufacturing Alliance) and The Century Foundation hosted the Industry & Inclusion (I&I) South Fall Gathering in Tampa at Hillsborough Community College (HCC). This was the second in-person meeting for this group, which includes workforce leaders, educators, and changemakers from across the American South. The cohort meetings provide the opportunity to reaffirm their dedication to addressing barriers in manufacturing workforce development at their institutions, focusing on fairness, access, and opportunity.

The intimate gathering was hosted by the Engineering Technology program at Hillsborough College (Thank you Shirley Dobbins!) and featured breakout sessions, coaching, and peer-led discussions that sparked honest conversations about the realities of implementing programs in a rapidly changing political and economic environment. Participants explored practical strategies, from overcoming transportation and enrollment barriers to building partnerships with K-12 schools and engaging parents more meaningfully. 

Dr. Barger, Senior Educational Advisor at FLATE (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center), presented on how colleges can better engage in regional economic development activities, based on work supported by the National Science Foundation in collaboration with Rutgers University’s Education and Employment Research Center (EERC).

During the meeting, participants emphasized the need to “push through the pause,” keep momentum even when external conditions change, and design systems that adapt without losing sight of the core mission: expanding opportunity for all students.

The cohort team from St. Petersburg College (SPC) is working on a project to expand opportunities for students who are not comfortable or confident with their math skills which can make engagement and ultimately success in manufacturing programs challenging.  The cohort is developing manufacturing-relevant materials to make math more meaningful and accessible for all incoming students.  Andres Valencia-Cardenas and Brian Bell from SPC will offer short student workshops sharing the materials that will ultimately become available online for others.

As the I&I South cohort nears its conclusion, the sense of possibility remains strong. Participants left the gathering motivated to carry this work forward not just within their own institutions, but through a broader, sustained community of practice. There is real momentum to build on the foundation laid at this event. One attendee reflected, “This is more than a program, it’s a calling. We’re not just building pathways, we’re building belief.”

 

Fall 2025 ET Forum

The statewide Forum on Engineering Technology (ET) was held on September 11–12, 2025, hosted by Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) in Niceville, FL. The fifty-sixth forum was well attended, with 64 participants (including 12 virtual) representing 18 Florida state, community, and technical colleges, four universities as well as participation from Polk and Santa Rosa County Schools.

This year’s forum welcomed new faculty from St. Petersburg College, Tallahassee State College, Northwest Florida State College, and Santa Fe College (which is in its first year of implementing the Engineering Technology A.S. program), making this one of the largest gatherings of new faculty in the forum’s history.

The Spring ET Forum energized ASET program faculty with two days of learning, collaboration, and hands-on experiences. Participants engaged in mentoring roundtables, explored a vendor showcase, and toured NWFSC ET labs to see cutting-edge facilities and resources in action. The forum also included updates from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), providing important guidance for ET programs. Guest speakers, including WonderFL, EMAC, FSI, Skills Gapp FL, FSU Inspire, FloridaMakes, and the University of North Florida, shared insights on building talent pipelines, advancing technical education, and applying AI in manufacturing. The forum offered valuable guidance and resources to support both new and experienced faculty while helping prepare for Manufacturing Month outreach activities.

A.S. Engineering Technology (ET) Degree addressing Florida’s Technician’s Industry 4.0 skills Gap

The Advanced Manufacturing Specialization under the A.S. Engineering Technology (ASET) degree, along with its College Credit Certificates (CCCs), has been daggered for deletion, with final student enrollment taking place in 2026–27. The specialization will be formally removed from the program inventory in 2029–30.

As confirmed at the recent ET Forum by Robert (Bob) Blevins, Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Assistant Director, the Advanced Manufacturing Specialization will be replaced in 2026-27 by the new Automation and Manufacturing Specialization. Click here to view the ET Framework with the new specialization.

The Automation and Manufacturing Specialization has been developed to address Florida’s Industry 4.0 skills gap and strengthen alignment between education and industry needs. The revised CCCs are currently under review and will move forward in the approval process once finalized.

 

Stay tuned for more details in upcoming forums and newsletters.

ET Forum Evaluation Impact

The 2025 Fall ET Forum was a hit—earning top marks for learning, networking, and professional growth! Survey feedback from the 2025 Fall ET Forum at NWFSC shows:

• 63% (17) rated presentations as excellent
• 67% (18) called networking opportunities excellent
• 70% (19) said the forum delivered excellent overall professional development
• 89% (24) of respondents plan to share what they learned and apply new strategies or resources from the forum.
• 100% (27) of participants said they would recommend the forum to others.

Participants left inspired with the latest manufacturing trends, industry connections, and classroom-ready strategies!

Top Takeaways from the 2025 Fall ET Forum include:

• New student pathways and strategies for preparing K–14 students for high-demand careers
• Advanced manufacturing resources from FSU InSPIRE and college updates
• Emerging technologies and trends in manufacturing
• Importance of industry connections and advisory boards
• Semiconductor curriculum insights and internship opportunities
• Ideas for recruitment, program growth, and hands-on learning initiatives for MFG Month

The ET Forum has long served as a vital platform for connecting Florida’s diverse and geographically dispersed ET community around shared challenges and priorities. With the support of the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), FLATE collaborates with the ET Forum network to strengthen the consortium, share administrative activities and projects, provide professional development, foster collaboration between industry and academia, and engage in statewide FDOE curriculum framework review and reform. Over the years, the forum has evolved into a true community of practice.

Special thanks to Northwest Florida State College for hosting the ET Forum (for the first time) and the educational vendors for sponsoring the Forum.

Bluegrass Educational Technologies, D.C. Jaeger Corporation, Electronics Manufacturing & Assembly Collaborative (EMAC), LLI-Learning Labs, Inc., Southern Educational Systems (SES), and Technical Training Aids 

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Mark your calendar for the Spring 2026 ET Forum.

April 16-17 at Palm Beach State College, FL

The ET Forum serves as a model for other disciplines and career clusters in Florida, as well as for technical programs in other states. For more information about the forum or the ASET degree, visit our FLATE ET Forum web site.