53rd FACTE Annual Conference & Trade Show and FLATE Awards

The Florida Association of Career and Technical Education (FACTE) and Florida Association of Industrial Technical Education (FAITE) partnered up with FLATE to provide a pre-conference workshop and a full multi-session day at the FACTE summer conference and trade show July 15-17, 2019. This year’s conference was held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando and hosted approximately 650 participants representing all areas of career and technical education. The Conference provided three days of intensive and informative pre-conference sessions and tours, general sessions, workshops, focus sessions, open forums, and business meetings.  The main focus of the conference is to provide top technical and professional development as well as networking opportunities for all Career and Technical Educators and administrators. This year’s sessions included the renewed focus on apprentice and pre-apprentice, industry certifications, career academies, project-based learning, competency-based learning, and work-based learning as well as details of Perkins V implementation.

As every year, the Trade Show presented a great opportunity for all attendees to see first-hand and hands-on the latest materials, information, equipment, and services that will help fulfill and enhance their professional responsibilities. The opening welcome reception is hosted with the conference vendors to provide significant opportunity to share what is new and what is successful.

FLATE-FAITE Preconference-Technical Tours

As part of pre-conference workshops at the 2019 FACTE Conference, FLATE and FAITE, the Florida Association for Industrial & Technical Educators, co-hosted their annual “Tech Tours”. The preconference industrial and technical tours were held on July 15, and included tours to three exiting companies where participants got a first-hand look at each company’s industrial and technical operations. Tours included ABC Bus Company in the Winter Garden, FL. location, Deltamaker, and MakerFX in Orlando, FL

During the tour at the ABC Bus company, participants were able to experience the exclusive North American distributor of prestigious Van Hool motorcoaches and see the largest selection of pre-owned bus and motorcoach inventory in the country. The Deltamaker tour showed its high-performance 3D printer for education and multiple applications, and MakerFX demonstrated how shared space can be used to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge.

FLATE Awards

During the Awards Breakfast on July 16, FLATE was pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 FLATE Awards. The Awards represent FLATE’s efforts to recognize leaders who have been at the forefront of manufacturing workforce education and training. This is the eleventh year of the awards program and is one of FLATE’s many efforts to showcase and recognize the contributions of educators and industries in advancing technician education in Florida.

Congratulations to the 2019 FLATE Award winners!

FLATE Distinguished Partner Manufacturing Service Award of the Year-Michael D. Brewster, from Monin, Inc.
Manufacturing Secondary Educator of the Year Award-Michael J. Sargent, a teacher at Lake Whales Charter Schools.
Manufacturing Post-Secondary of the Year Award- Dr. Ronald D. Eaglin, an instructor at Daytona State College.

Thank you to the award sponsors D.C. Jaeger Corporation and Hoerbiger.

FLATE-FAITE Sessions

Sessions included panel of FLATE 2019 Award Winners and their best practices. This panel shared their experiences in areas such as economic development, industry, education, administration and presented their best practices and significant contributions toward innovative programs in support of STEM, Engineering Technology, and industrial/manufacturing education in Florida. Presenters (left to right): Michael J. Sargent, Ronald D. Eaglin, Michael D. Brewster.

Other sessions included “What it Takes: Helping Girls find their Way to Manufacturing, Industrial, and Engineering Careers” in which FLATE shared successful strategies for recruiting and retaining girls into these non-traditional career pathways for women. “FAITE Board Meeting” where participants learned about all the benefits of joining FAITE, “Drones in Education & Society”, “Teaching High School Students to Code Games” where participants explored various means to teaching at the Florida Game and Simulation electives, and “A-Z Digital Portolios” with the necessary Skills for ALL CTE.

For more information about FACTE and FAITE visit Facte.org and Faite.us

Visit the FLATE Wiki for more information, or contact Executive Director of FLATE, Dr. Marilyn Barger at barger@fl-ate.org and Associate Director of FLATE, Danielly Orozco at orozco@fl-ate.org.