In
the previous story we highlighted the success of students at Nature Coast
Technical High School. In
this story, we look at students from North Florida
Community College (NFCC), and how they fared in earning the Manufacturing Skill
Standards Counsel (MSSC) Certified Production Technician (CPT)
certification. Before delving into those
specifics, let’s take a brief look at the program itself. The Automation and
Production Technology (APT) program is a new program at NFCC that started with
its first cohort of students in January 2015 with the receipt of a round three
TAACCCT grant. The APT program is broken down into four completion points, with
a targeted goal to prepare students to earn their MSSC CPT certification in the
18 weeks that this PSAV program runs. The program is designed to meet industry
needs within the college district, and is targeted to provide relevant
workforce training that includes industry-recognized credentials. (Source: NFCC
Website). Course frameworks for the APT program follow FL DOE’s guidelines and
add the opportunity to earn the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)
(CPT) certification. NFCC has the commitment of numerous manufacturing industry
partners to provide program support including the provision of tours of
manufacturing facilities, guest speakers and content lecturers, conducting mock
interviews, and providing hiring opportunities to students who successfully
complete the course.
“There
is a tremendous need going forward for skilled qualified technicians” said Bill
Eustace, APT
instructor at NFCC. As an educator and a 40 year employee of the
manufacturing trades, Eustace states “it is important to pass on the knowledge
gained to students so they are prepared to enter the technical fields.” The
first cohort of 17 students started the program in January 2015. Of the 17, ten
earned full MSSC CPT which included an assessment in Safety, Quality and
Precision Measurement, Production Processes, and Maintenance Awareness. Nine of
those that had attained full completion rate also opted for a fifth
certification in Green Production and passed that one as well. Remaining four
students earned three of the four certifications needed to complete the full
CPT, with three withdrawing from the program for various reasons. “It is
essential to maintain a core of knowledgeable employees in the technical
positions otherwise companies will outsource and jobs will be lost” Eustace
said.
Looking
to the future, NFCC is working with Mentor-Connect to write a proposal for an
NSF
grant. Mentor-Connect is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced
Technological Education (ATE) project housed by SC ATE, an NSF ATE Center of
Excellence in South Carolina. “These are high skilled, high wage jobs that are
in demand and need to be filled” said Associate Dean for Economic Development
and Technical Programs, David Dunkle. Through these programs and initiatives
Dunkle hopes “to attract more young people to the field of advanced
manufacturing, and change the perception that many people hold.”
If
the proposal for the grant is approved, NFCC plans to pilot a dual enrollment
program in fall of 2015
through a cohesive partnership with Madison County High
School and James Madison Preparatory High School. Contingent on grant approval,
the initial cohort will include a cross-section of students representing rural,
first-generation in college, minority, and female participants. NFCC plans to
include twenty students in this group. Using the Madison County students as a
pilot group, NFCC will collect evaluative data and assess the project’s
success. At the conclusion of the three-year project, NFCC plans to conduct a
feasibility study to evaluate the possibility for expanding the project
district-wide. “This prospect is especially exciting as we attempt to open more
doors and pathways for our high school students” Dunkle said.
For
more information about NFCC’s APT program contact William Eustace at
eustaceb@nfcc.edu/850.973.1670 and David Dunkle at
dunkled@nfcc.edu/850.973.9440. For information on FLATE’s secondary and
post-secondary curriculum visit www.madeinflorida.org, and www.fl-ate.org, or
contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org.
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