Spotlight on the Florida Statewide Engineering Technology Industry Advisory Board

Industry advisory boards are crucial in helping organizations make informed decisions to streamline and meet targeted strategic goals. For several years, Florida Advanced Technological Education Center (FLATE) has been leading the effort to bring together diverse and geographically dispersed colleges offering degrees in engineering technology (ET) to discuss and share best practices, and identify strategies to strengthen its technology consortium across Florida. FLATE is an NSF center of excellence in Florida that has been funded to date with a $10 million grant and is considered to be part of the NSF ATE Community as a “sustained” Center. The ATE program is focused on improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education to meet the technician workforce needs of American advanced technological industries. From 2004 to 2020, FLATE was funded through a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant and was absorbed as part of the FloridaMakes network in 2020.

Overview, role and responsibilities of SETIAB

In an ongoing effort to streamline the engineering technology degree and related curriculum, in coordination with FloridaMakes and state and community colleges offering the ET Degree, FLATE launched the Statewide Engineering Technology Industry Advisory Board (SETIAB) in the spring of 2023. The Florida SETIAB is a key vehicle in engaging and building in-roads between Florida manufacturers and colleges offering two- and four-year degrees in engineering technology. The Board’s mission is to ensure that the 20-plus Associate in Science Engineering Technology (ASET) programs offered in community and state colleges across Florida are meeting rapidly evolving industry needs, and raising the visibility and competencies of ASET degree graduates. The Board is also tasked with identifying SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) goals by assisting the Florida College System (FCS) in ensuring ET curriculum learning objectives and activities are productive and of high quality.

Expected benefits and outcomes

Following the inaugural in-person meeting in March 2023, the Board recruited additional members to set up its initial organizational structure and bylaws. The Board now consists of one or two industry representatives who support an engineering technology advisory board from each of the Florida state colleges, plus one member each from FloridaMakes, Florida’s K-12 education system, and the Florida Department of Education’s Adult and Career Education division. Supporting members of the new advisory board include representatives from each college that has an industry member on the board as well as representatives from FLATE. A college may have more than one industry representative on the Board which helps to ensure that there is broad geographic representation and includes representatives of all manufacturing sectors found in Florida.

SETIAB is the “go-to” resource for providing recommendations on the continual development of engineering technology and related education for students at all FCS-affiliated institutions. It assists in developing a positive image for the ET programs and will serve as a conduit for maintaining information between the colleges, FloridaMakes, Florida Department of Education (FDOE), and manufacturers across Florida. The Board will also recommend curriculum content in both degrees and certificates while adhering to FDOE guidelines.

Similarities with engineering technology programs in colleges and universities

On a broader spectrum, the effort to establish a statewide engineering technology industry advisory board is not unique to Florida. The effort aligns with similar initiatives at colleges and universities across the country. The Purdue School of Engineering & Technology at Indiana University has a similar board consisting of alumni, industry experts, and industry professionals to advise, assist, support, and advocate for its electrical engineering technology program. Similarly, the engineering technology departments at the University of Toledo and East Tennessee State University have industrial advisory boards with a similar scope to advise engineering technology programs at each of their universities in an effort to achieve excellence. “Through the Florida SETIAB, we hope to provide guidance that enhances and aligns career and technical training with industry needs,” said Dr. Marilyn Barger, senior education advisor for FLATE. Barger hopes the initiative will also guide education and industry pathways that spur career growth for students and employees across the state and gives greater visibility to the ASET degree programs offered across the state including the skillsets of ET graduates.

To meet the charter manufacturing members and learn more about Florida’s SETIAB, visit https://flate.site/setiab, or contact Dr. Marilyn Barger at Marilyn.barger@flate.org and Dr. Mori Toosi, director of engineering technology at Polk State College, at mtoosi@polk.edu.