Kudos to the 2023 Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, and Architecture Expo at St Petersburg College

On April 4^th, FLATE had the opportunity to participate in the Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, and Architecture (MECCA) Expo at St. Petersburg College (SPC), held at Clearwater Campus. Over 500 Pinellas County middle school and high school, students had the opportunity to learn from multiple guest speakers and exhibits about exciting careers in Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction, and Architecture.  Many faculty, program advisors, and current students from the SPC’s Engineering Technology Department, opened their Collaborative Center for Emerging Technologies Laboratory and hi-tech classrooms to showcase the incredible world of manufacturing and the amazing career paths it has to offer. 

The Engineering Technology (ET) AS program at SPC currently offers specializations in quality, electronics, advanced manufacturing, digital design & modeling, and several industry-recognized certifications.  Now with a brand-new Biotechnology AS Program, SPC continues growing stronger,  offering technology programs tailored to meet the needs of local, state and nationwide industries. 

The ET department exhibits at the MECCA Expo included fun and interactive demonstrations like FLATE’s Dobot and measurement activity and a robot-controlled racecar roller coaster presented by AMSkills.  There were also “DogieBots” or Unitree Aliengo, high-performance quadruped robots that can traverse uneven terrain, climb gradients and remain stable even if kicked and a “Tech Diablo” robot, the world's first direct-drive self-balancing wheeled-leg robot by Stokes Robotics. Definitely, St. Pete College & its industry partners provided an exquisite Hight Tech Expo with free educational resources to help create awareness about the multiple career paths available in the fields of ET and Manufacturing.

This type of outreach event has proven to be an exceptional way to encourage students to explore future career opportunities and inspire the next generation of skilled workers.

For more information about FLATE and its educational resources to inspire the next generation of hi-tech skilled workforce, visit FLATE.org and MadeinFLorida.org.