PROFESSOR RECOGNIZED FOR BUILDING A ROBUST STATE-OF-THE-ART MANUFACTURING PROGRAM AT PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE

SPOTLIGHT ON MICHAEL CANNON

The A.S. degree in Mechanical Design and Fabrication at Pensacola State College has been earmarked as a state-of-the-art program and the largest automated manufacturing training program in the Southeast. It is considered as the “go to” program for students who want to learn a respected craft with vital technical skills in the trades. A large part of the program’s success can be attributed to the relentless efforts of educators like Mike Cannon.

Mike Cannon currently serves as the program coordinator and lead instructor for the Mechanical Design and Fabrication program at Pensacola State College (PSC). Cannon is considered a subject matter expert in curriculum and program development. He has been working at PSC for the past 29 years and has played a prominent role in building a robust automated manufacturing training program at PSC that is currently considered best in the southeast region.  Given his long-term commitment to excellence in manufacturing, Cannon was recently named the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator-of-the-Year Award.

A cornerstone of Cannon’s contributions has been his belief in the importance of manufacturing education and training. Cannon recommends “anyone looking for a career in the Engineering Technology to seriously consider PSC to reach that goal.” PSC’s program facility consists of seven HAAS machining centers, along with a CNC router, CNC Plasma and CNC Laser cutter. Cannon describes the A.S. degree in Mechanical Design and Fabrication at PSC as “a highly technical program” that is focused on building “real-world, essential technical skills.” What sets the program apart is the hands-on component in preparing students for careers in CNC (Computer Numerical Control), metal fabrication, welding, CNC plasma and CNC Laser processing. 

Besides program development and implementation at PSC, Cannon has been the face behind many successful programs on a regional and statewide level. In 2003, he worked closely with the Florida Advanced Technological Education Center to develop curriculum frameworks for the statewide A.S. degree in Engineering Technology. Within that capacity, Cannon was instrumental in developing four college credit certificates in CNC machining and fabrication, CNC composite fabrication and programming, CNC machinist operator and programmer, and mechanical design and programming. Additionally, Cannon implemented state-of-the- art CAD/CAMM training, AutoCAD, Fusion 360 Design and Manufacturing, MasterCAM and SolidWorks as part of the curriculum for his courses. Cannon also developed coursework in production welding processes, Sheetmetal fabrication and aircraft riveting, metal fabrication, CNC machining operations, setup, programming, CNC router and plasma & laser processing.

Cannon is a big proponent in building crosswalks between industry and education to enhance the experience of manufacturing education for students. This not only enables him to stay connected with local industry partners, but is an effective strategy in keeping a tab on workforce needs of local industry and incorporating those elements into everyday curriculum to help students keep their skills up-to-date with current industry standards. Cannon was recently featured in an article published by Autodesk and was a scheduled speaker at last year’s Autodesk Virtual Conference to discuss issues surrounding technology in the classrooms, including his adaptation of online curriculum for his program.

Through advisory committee meetings, Cannon ensures that PSC is providing training that leads to jobs while also incorporating industry-recognized technology and certifications into his manufacturing education programs. Through established relationships with local, state, and national employers, Cannon provides short-term training opportunities that allow employers to hire highly trained students who possess the necessary skills required by the manufacturing industry. 

For information on the FLATE Awards, or submit an award nomination for next year visit http://fl-ate.org/programs/flate-awards, or contact Executive Director of FLATE, Dr. Marilyn Barger at Marilyn.Barger@flate.org.