Florida’s 6th Annual Manufacturers’ Summit: An in-depth overview of Florida’s manufacturing today and tomorrow

MAF’s annual manufacturers summit has been a driving force in facilitating an open dialogue between manufacturers, industry leaders and educators across Florida. Since the inaugural summit in 2003, the event has been a key enabler in providing a panoramic view of Florida’s diverse manufacturing industry, and a focal point for showcasing and sharing business best-practices with industry colleagues.

In keeping with its tradition of excellence, the 6th annual manufacturers’ summit is poised to draw a wide cross-section of manufacturers from across the state. It is scheduled for Nov 5-6, and will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, FL.

“Manufacturing Today and Tomorrow"—theme of this year’s summit—will serve as focal point in offering various strategies to address challenges faced by manufacturers. The sessions are designed to facilitate an open dialogue, and geared to generate vibrant discussions on all aspects of manufacturing. The summit will focus on “internal and external” manufacturing elements crucial for creating a high performance operation prepared to meet current demands and future challenges. Participants will also get the opportunity to tour Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi Power Systems state-of-the- art manufacturing facilities.

At the “Developing World Class Talent in Your Business” session, Dr. Marilyn Barger will be discussing the academic and training pathways (Engineering Technology A.S./A.A.S degree program, APT frameworks, MSSC Skills Standards) created by FLATE to build a skilled workforce for today’s manufacturers. Additionally, FLATE will be presenting their “Industry and Professional Service Awards” to individuals who have made significant contributions to manufacturing education at the secondary, post-secondary, and professional level. Nominees for the award have made a tremendous impact in each of their sectors to train and educate today’s technology workforce throughout Florida, and will be recognized during the President’s Banquet at the Summit.

For more information on the summit, or to submit a nomination online for the FLATE awards, contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at 813.259.6578, or visit www.fl-ate.org and www.mafmfg.com.