60th Annual FACTE Conference Celebrates 100 Years of Career and Technical Education Leadership

The 60th Annual FACTE Conference & Trade Show, held July 12–15, 2026, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, welcomed approximately 700 career and technical education (CTE) professionals from across Florida to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Florida Association for Career and Technical Education (FACTE).

The four-day event featured more than 140 professional development sessions, a vibrant trade show with nearly 50 exhibitors, networking opportunities, and recognition of outstanding educators and partners dedicated to advancing Florida's workforce. The conference brought together educators, administrators, industry leaders, and workforce professionals committed to preparing students for high-demand careers.

The FAITE and FAA Divisions kicked off the conference with a pre-conference tour of Lake Technical College, where participants explored the Advanced Manufacturing and CNC labs, learned about emerging workforce programs, and participated in a panel discussion on future workforce opportunities.

As a longtime partner, FLATE was proud to collaborate with FACTE and the Florida Association of Industrial and Technical Education (FAITE) in delivering professional development that strengthens manufacturing and engineering technology education across the state.

FLATE and FAITE also coordinated five conference sessions covering timely topics including:

• AI's Impact on CTE Teaching
• Ensuring Continuity in CTE Programs During Instructor Transitions
• Award-Winning Approaches to Technical & Industrial Education featuring the 2026 FLATE Award Winners
• Building Effective Advisory Committees for Technical Programs
• FAITE Board Updates and Discussion

Special thanks to our FAITE session strand sponsor, Future Builders of America (FBA), for supporting professional development and helping build tomorrow's skilled workforce.

2026 FLATE Award Winners Recognized at FACTE

The 2026 FLATE Education Award winners were recognized during the FACTE Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, July 15, celebrating their outstanding contributions to manufacturing education and workforce development.

Photo Caption (left to right):

Mark Gaudio, DC Jaeger; Theresa Weller, 2026 Distinguished Manufacturing Secondary Educator of the Year; Carrie Meyers, 2024 Distinguished Manufacturing Partner Service Award recipient, Mayra Socarras, 2026 Distinguished Manufacturing Post-Secondary Educator of the Year; Ernie Friend, Executive Director, FLATE; Danielly Oroco-Cole, Associate Director, FLATE.

Special thanks to our FLATE Award sponsors, Bluegrass Educational Technologies, LLC, Connected Engineering, and DC Jaeger, for their generous support of manufacturing education in Florida.

FLATE extends its sincere appreciation to the FACTE leadership and staff for hosting another outstanding conference and for recognizing the FLATE Awards. We look forward to continuing our partnership with FACTE and FAITE to advance career and technical education and strengthen Florida's future workforce.