Visualizing our Community College Programs

The Hidden Innovation Infrastructure is an NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) research project (2026262) that aims to define the “hidden innovation ecosystems or infrastructures” that evolve from ATE grants and community college technical programs. It also intends to inform regional economic development efforts. Additionally, findings are expected to contribute to the national conversations about the impacts of the community college workforce education ecosystems on regional labor markets.

The project goals include an ambitious, qualitative study of ATE-educated technicians at their workplaces and in the regional economy.  The key activities of the project define the various data sources that will studied.  These include deep dive studies with NSF ATE regional projects; analysis of past and current ATE grants for impact on economic development; and nationally available student and industry data. Looking at the national data sets, the project team has developed a visualization tool to facilitate comparisons and review trends.  The visualization tool/web application is very simple to use and reveals the number of technician graduates in a particular technician program or programs across the country, across a state, or across several states as desired.  It uses IPEDS data to allow users to view the evolution of technician production since 1995. This tool will support the project but can also assist colleges and systems in identifying potential areas of skill needs by displaying the graduates per year.  This visualization can help with the understanding of how programs have evolved over time and help with decision making about programs they might want to consider offering and ones they might want to consider closing.

The web application user can select to show completers of 2-year programs; 4-year degrees; a less than 1 year certificate; 3-year programs or any combination of these. To be sure, it is focused on the technician sectors that are considered advanced technologies and is funded by the NSF ATE program. Within that domain, it uses four-digit Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes for all programs that (1) are NOT healthcare related; (2) contain the word “technician” in CIP family 15 (Engineering), 41 (Science technologies/technicians), 47 (mechanic and repair technologies and four-digit 48.05 (precision metal working). Exceptions include CIP families for biological and biomedical sciences, parks, recreation, leisure and fitness, homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting, library science, construction trades, people, personal and culinary services, and public administration. It also doesn’t include six-digit CIPS for upholstery, shoe, boot and leather repair, leatherworking and upholstery-other, gunsmithing, locksmithing and safe repair. All those eliminated are outside the definitions of advanced technologies that are funded through this NSF program.

Observed trends reveal some patterns and/or trends that indicate declining, diverging, expanding, static, spiking, and/or saturated trends. Supplemented with knowledge about regional, state or national industry sector trends, the tool can support college decisions to build a new or enhance an existing, or even phase out a particular program. Below is a sample output for a simple data request for Electromechanical, Instrumentation and Maintenance Technicians and Industrial Production Technicians at the national level for associate degrees only. You can visit the project website to learn more about the Hidden Innovation NSF ATE project explore the Number of Technician Data Visualization Tool here. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at FLATE part of the FloridaMakes Network (serving as co-PI of this NSF project), or the team at Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center.

Celebrating Manufacturing Month All Year in 2022!

Manufacturing Day has been celebrated across the country every October since 2011 in order to change career perceptions in manufacturing. And it became official in 2014 when President Obama issued a presidential proclamation declaring the first Friday in October as National Manufacturing Day. 

 “On National Manufacturing Day, more than 1,600 American manufacturers will open their doors and take up the important work of inspiring our young people to pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering. Today's science, technology, engineering, and math graduates will power the next chapter of American production and innovation, and harnessing their potential is an economic imperative. When our manufacturing base is strong, our entire economy is strong. Today, we continue our work to bolster the industry at the heart of our Nation. With grit and resolve, we can create new jobs and widen the circle of opportunity for more Americans". - Presidential Proclamation, 2014

FLATE has worked for the past decade with Florida's Regional Manufacturing Associations (RMAs), FloridaMakes and many other organizations and industry partners to celebrate Manufacturing Month in Florida each October; and the number of in-person student tours of manufacturing facilities grew each year until the pandemic, exposing many students, parents, educators and counselors to modern manufacturing careers.  Since the pandemic, Manufacturing Month student events have evolved with many partnering organizations coming up with new, innovative ways to reach students.

Introducing the FLATE Award: Most Innovative Manufacturing Month Student Event Award for 2021

FLATE would like to recognize those organizations, companies and/or schools who created innovative student outreach events in 2021 to promote manufacturing career awareness and technology education. To do so, we are launching a new FLATE Award in 2022: the Most Innovative Manufacturing Month Student Event Award. FLATE's new award recognizes outstanding and innovative ways to promote manufacturing career awareness and technology education through innovative student outreach events during Manufacturing Month. Awardees will have demonstrated impact on student perception and knowledge about manufacturing careers at the local, state, and/or national level. Eligible events include those held in 2021 with both students and manufacturers participating. To learn more about this award criteria click here.

Celebrating Manufacturing Month All Year in 2022

Although many successful student events were held in October 2021, many scheduled events were postponed due to the pandemic. These events will be rescheduled as soon as feasible so we will not be waiting until October to celebrate Manufacturing Month in 2022! Student events throughout the year will highlight the current, unique opportunities for careers in manufacturing. But in addition to a year-long celebration, stay tuned for information on a statewide celebration to be held on Manufacturing Day in October!

Nominations Open for 2022 FLATE Awards

In their 15th year, the awards represent FLATE’s commitment to recognizing educators who have made significant contributions to manufacturing or engineering technology outreach or educational programs in our public or private educational institutions. FLATE Awards are geared to recognize secondary and postsecondary educators and industry professionals for their outstanding contributions to promote and support technology education and careers awareness in manufacturing. Awardees are recognized under three separate categories and includes individuals in any manufacturing area including economic development, industry, education and administration. Forty-three outstanding, dedicated educators and manufacturing professionals from all over the state have been recognized to date: leaders who have been at the forefront of manufacturing workforce education and training.

FLATE Award winners are selected from nominations submitted from all across the state. Nominees are judged by an Awards Committee made up of industry representative(s), FAITE board member(s), past awardee(s), and member(s) of the FloridaMakes Workforce Leadership Committee.

Awards Categories

The 2022 FLATE Distinguished Manufacturing Secondary Educator of the year award recognizes a high school educator for outstanding contributions to manufacturing and/or engineering technology education. Recipients of this award must have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and novel programs and have shown a professional commitment towards manufacturing industry. To learn more about this award criteria click here.

The 2022 FLATE Distinguished Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator-of-the-Year Award recognizes a community college or technical school educator for outstanding contributions to manufacturing and/or engineering technology education and training of today’s advanced manufacturing workforce. Nominees for the award must have demonstrated an impact on technology education at the local, state, and/or national level. To learn more about this award criteria click here.

The 2022 FLATE Distinguished Manufacturing Partner Service Award recognizes key personnel for outstanding contributions to promote technology education and career awareness in support of manufacturing. This award includes nominees working in any manufacturing area such as economic development, industry, education, and administration. Awardees must have demonstrated an impact on technology education at the local, state, and/or national level. The award represents FLATE’s commitment to recognize colleagues who made significant contributions to the outreach, education, and training of today’s advanced manufacturing workforce. To learn more about this award criteria click here.

The FLATE Most Innovative Manufacturing Month Student Event Award for 2021 recognizes outstanding and innovative ways to promote manufacturing career awareness and technology education through innovative student outreach events during Manufacturing Month. In-person or virtual events include student tours of manufacturing facilities or other event that engages students in innovative ways directly with manufacturers. Awardees will have demonstrated impact on student perception and knowledge about manufacturing careers at the local, state, and/or national level. The award represents FLATE’s commitment to recognize organizations or companies who have made significant contributions to manufacturing or engineering technology outreach or educational programs in our public or private educational institutions. To learn more about this award criteria click here.

Nominations are Now Open for 2022 FLATE Awards

Click to Nominate a Secondary Educator, Post-Secondary Educator or Manufacturing Partner.

Click to Apply for the Most Innovative Manufacturing Month Student Event Award.

* Nominations close: February 28, 2022
* Nominee application deadline: March 31, 2022

* Manufacturing Month Student Event application deadline: March 31, 2022
* Award winners will be notified by April 29, 2022
* Awards will be presented July 19-21 at the FACTE Annual Conference in Jacksonville, FL
and on October 25-26 at the FloridaMakes Make More Summit

Sponsorship

If you are interested in sponsoring the 2022 FLATE Awards, click here for the Sponsorship Packet.

For complete details on FLATE Awards, visit http://fl-ate.org/programs/flate-awards. Contact Danielly Orozco-Cole with any questions.

The New Year Rings in New Executive Director at FLATE

Welcome everyone to a New Year (2022) and a new semester. I hope everyone had a restful relaxing winter break, stayed healthy, and enjoyed the holidays with family and friends. The start of a semester is always a time to look forward to the new and the improvements we plan to make in our professional careers. January 2022 rings in a new role for me and a new Executive Director for FLATE. Ernie Friend starts his tenure as the Executive Director of FLATE. And after 18 years serving as the Executive Director of FLATE, I am moving into another role.

My new position is Senior Education Consultant for FloridaMakes and FLATE. I will work closely with Ernie in 2022 to provide a bit of “corporate memory” to help FLATE continue on its steady path forward. In addition, I will provide advice to the FloridaMakes leadership on various education and workforce issues, lead some special projects, and stay involved with the national community college manufacturing education network including the NSF Advanced Technological Education grantees. Of course, I am still here to help FLATE and its partners with whatever they might need, but this is not about me, it’s all about Ernie.

Ernie Friend, FLATE’s new Executive Director assumed his new role as of January 3, 2022. Ernie comes to FLATE after 25 years at Florida State College at Jacksonville serving various administrative roles over IT, Manufacturing, and other related technology associate degree programs. Ernie and I have worked together on various projects since the early 2000’s. FLATE helped him transition his previous manufacturing program to the A.S. Engineering Technology Degree at FSCJ. Over the years, we worked together on several large and small U.S. Department of Labor and National Science Foundation (NSF) grants for manufacturing and other IT programs across Florida and the entire country. After Ernie was re-assigned to be an administrator over FSCJ’s IT and Cybersecurity degree programs, we continued to work together with shared Florida visions for better connections of ET and IT programs around the state, providing state-wide access to industrial and IT internships (both in-person and virtual), engaging more Florida industry professionals in technician education. It is always a great pleasure to work with someone like Ernie who is friendly to all, sincere in his passions, and enthusiastic for providing accessible opportunities for all students to learn skills and build their future careers.

Ernie and I are planning to visit all the ET programs in the state over the next several months and will be reaching out to many of you to schedule our visits. But today, please welcome Ernie as the new leader of FLATE and help him learn about your program, your industry, your partners, and your community. We look forward to seeing everyone this spring at Broward College for the Spring 2022 ET Forum. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

-Dr. Marilyn Barger