2019 National Career Pathways Network Annual Conference a Success in Orlando, Florida

Every year FLATE supports the National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) to coordinate its fall annual conference. This national conference is held in a major U.S. city and this year Florida had the opportunity to host this great event. The 2019 NCPN conference was be held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, October 11–13. Participants from all over United States had the opportunity to choose from 80+ breakouts, a full day of preconference workshops, keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall showcasing the latest products and services in career and technical education. This year’s theme focused on strengthening America’s future through career pathways and our nation's commitment to helping students and adults achieve success in careers and life by taking control of their futures.

The 2019 Annual Conference sponsors included the National Science Foundation (NSF), Advanced Technology Education-ATE Centers and Industrial Macromolecular Crystallography Association Collaborative Access Team (MCA-CAT).

Preconference sessions, held on October 11, included 9+ workshops and tours to choose from. FLATE coordinated the tour to Regal Marine Industries, Inc. during this tour participants were able to experience a manufacturing journey from “concept to reality” and learned how Regal boats are made.

During the weekend sessions, there were multiple NSF ATE presentations, some of the featured FLATE’s sessions included:

Florida’s Manufacturing Ecosystems Expands to Include MFG Education. This presentation shared strategies and impacts of a growing number of partnership projects and activities involving (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence, an NSF ATE funded center) and FloridaMakes, a NIST MEP (Manufacturing Extension Partnership).


Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work. Together with CORD, and Luka Partners, FLATE discussed advances in technology that are changing industries at an unprecedented pace, transforming not only tasks and occupations but entire fields. During the session attendees were engaged in a dialogue about how the NSF ATE community can prepare technicians for the evolving realities of the future of work.

Necessary Skills Now (NSN). NSN Coordination Network is an NSF ATE project with CORD. During this presentation attendees were engaged in a dialogue about how the NSN can grow its emerging community of practice around employability skills for technicians. Packed with expertise, experience, and enthusiasm, the NSN-Network is a one-stop shop that gives educators and employers access to resources and tools for the classroom. Funded by NSF ATE, the NSN-Network is dedicated to ensuring that the rising STEM technician workforce is truly "ready for work" in the 21st century.

The National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) is a membership organization dedicated to the advancement of Career Pathways, career technical education (CTE), and workforce development initiatives. NCPN’s membership encompasses secondary and postsecondary education, adult education, workforce development, economic development, workforce investment boards, correctional education, community-based organizations, and employers.

Founded in 1991 (originally as the National Tech Prep Network), NCPN assists its members in planning, implementing, evaluating, and improving Career Pathways programs across the country. Through conferences, workshops, and publications, NCPN facilitates the exchange of promising practices and innovations.

A division of CORD, the Center for Occupational Research and Development, NCPN connects people and resources, provides leadership and professional development, and helps its members discover solutions through partnering at local, state and national levels.

For Florida, the Florida Career Pathways Network (FCPN) is the membership organization for Florida educators, employer, and workforce development partners involved in the advancement of Career Pathways, Career & Technical Education, and other related education reform initiatives. FCPN partnered with NCPN for this year’s event.

FCPN assists its members in the planning, implementing, evaluating, and improving of secondary, post-secondary, and adult transition programs by pooling the resources of the state's leading practitioners to provide a network of communication and resources for new and existing programs.

For more information on ATE Community, please visit atecenters.org. For more information on NCPN and FCPN visit ncpn.info and flcpn.org or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, Executive Director of FLATE, at barger@fl-ate.org.

SAVE THE DATE

NCPN 2020 Annual Conference- October 15-17 at Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta
FCPN will be back in January 2021-stay tuned!