From the Director ...
Craig McAtee, NCATC CEO and Executive Director
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NCATC Friends and Colleagues,
NCATC was formed in 1988 by the technology industry and seven community colleges brought together by CORD. We continue to be sustained by real-world employer engagement with ALL curricula; student learning outcomes (SLO); credentials; and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) needed for careers in the 21st century. We must always keep in lockstep with or – better yet – ahead of business and industry’s ever-evolving HR practices and trends, as well.
Today some of the largest, most successful companies, such as Alphabet, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, are scaling up the use of data science, recruiting experts in organizational psychology, and expediting their digital transformation to deploy technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the workplace to improve their people analytics. In a world of work that is increasingly evolving, it is worth reflecting on the HR trends we’re expecting in 2022 and the years beyond.
Other key trends for HR include, but are not limited to:
- Upskilling and Reskilling,
- Employee Experience,
- Virtual Reality (VR) Training,
- Remote Work, and
- Power Skills.
As I write this column, the new Omicron variant is beginning to spread across the globe like wildfire. Some of the world’s population is watching it very carefully and reacting with increased safety measures while another large portion of the world’s population is saying “We are so over the pandemic” and have moved to a “post-pandemic” / back-to-normal way of life. Regardless of where you fall on that continuum, the past 21 months (and counting) of the Covid-19 pandemic have disrupted every facet of life as we knew it before March 2020.
So, is it “The Great Resignation,” “The Great Reshuffle,” or “The Great Recognition” that has occurred over the last 18-20 months due to the global pandemic?
Regardless of what you call it, the numbers are staggering. In August alone, 4.3 million workers quit their jobs. According to The Wall Street Journal, “U.S. workers left their jobs nearly 20 million times between April and August this year, according to the latest federal data, a number more than 60% higher than the resignations handed in during the same period last year, and 12% above the spring and summer of 2019 when the job market was the hottest it had been in almost 50 years.” According to Business Insider, “Job transitions among Gen Z are up 80% year-over-year. For Millennials, they're up by 50%.”
Looking ahead to 2022 for NCATC – the Board of Directors approved our “full steam ahead, guided by science” re-entry of face-to-face meetings and events for the upcoming year. I am pleased to announce that Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will host our 2022 NCATC Annual Fall Conference in Concord/Kannapolis, NC, next September 21-23. This marks our return after a full three (3) years due to the pandemic measures of caution, and we promise it will be worth the wait! More details coming very soon.
And we will continue our 2021 Strategic Partner and Government Relations Webinar Series focused on DEI, Industry 4.0, and CTE/WDF policies in partnership with Siemens, NTMA, Universal Robots, AVR Connect, Verisurf, New Scale Robotics, Autodesk, and Fest Didactic in 2022. Plus, you can find all the past webinar recordings on the NCATC website here.
As always, we encourage you to stay regularly connected and up to date on all ATC, WFD, and CTE-related activities and guidance via the weekly updated NCATC website, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.), and quarterly e-newsletters like this one.
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Update on the NCATC Government Relations Committee |
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NCATC formed a new Government Relations (GR) Committee in 2021, recognizing that, as an organization focused on promoting community and technical colleges' advanced technology programs and facilities, it is critical to understand how federal and state policies impact this work and become more active in it. The GR Committee's purpose is to increase awareness of and advocate for pertinent policies related to the organization’s four strategic focus areas with an overarching lens on equity and inclusion: 1) Industry 4.0/Smart Automation and Manufacturing; 2) Work-based Learning 3) Industry-Recognized Credentials/Competency-based Education, and 4) Adult Education.
NCATC has begun sharing information on related policies with guidance on how members can take action through sign-on letters of support, webinars, email messages, and beyond. Our first GR webinar series on August 26, sponsored by NCATC strategic partner National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) with Omar Nashashibi from the Franklin Group and Jeffrey Connor-Naylor from the National Skills Coalition/Business Leaders United (BLU), focused on “Federal Policies and the Future of Workforce Development.” And our second GR webinar was held on October 14 with Siemens. Both recorded webinars can be found on the NCATC website here.
The GR Committee will be providing updates in this quarterly newsletter, so plan on seeing more related information here in the future.
With the recent passage and signing of the infrastructure bill and the House passing the Build Back Better legislation, this is an exciting and important time for NCATC to continue to track and advocate for legislation that aligns with the organization’s strategic focus areas and can support our college and strategic industry partner members. We look forward to continuing to share helpful information and offer ways to get involved.
Marc Goldberg, NCATC Government Relations, Chair
Chris Lewis, NCATC Board President
Craig McAtee, NCATC CEO & Executive Director
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In This Issue
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Lorain County Community College on Path to Offering Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Smart Industrial Automated Systems Engineering Technology
- Marvin and Northland Introduce First-of-Its-Kind Mechatronics Training Program
- Scholarships Available for Engineering Students
- Reading Area Community College–First Energy Electrical Utility Community Education–Infrastructure Partnership
- Festo Didactic Joins Festo’s Regional Service Center in Mason, Ohio
- Rhodes State Offers Free CNC Machining Training for “Uniquely Abled” Workforce
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Lorain County Community College on Path to Offering Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Smart Industrial Automated Systems Engineering Technology
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Lorain County Community College (LCCC) received approval from Chancellor Randy Gardner of the Ohio Department of Higher Education to move forward in developing a bachelor of applied science degree in Smart Industrial Automated Systems Engineering Technology. The program will focus on integrating, operating, modifying, and troubleshooting smart manufacturing systems based on “off-the-shelf” industrial equipment directly related to smart manufacturing.
Smart Industrial Automated Systems Engineering Technology represents a multidisciplinary engineering field concerned with the design, modeling, analysis, and control of predominantly computer-based automated systems or processes often referred to as smart manufacturing. Automated systems typically contain a mixture of sensors, equipment, devices, software, hardware, and humans and require knowledge of elements of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, software programming, networking, security, and human factors engineering. The program will be designed to meet the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology requirements and train students for job roles such as automation engineer, controls engineer, and systems engineer.
LCCC developed the program in response to the rapid growth in disruptive technologies that are shaping advanced manufacturing in Northeast Ohio. The college will leverage these ongoing employer relationships to embed earn-and-learn opportunities within the program. The program will be housed in LCCC’s Advanced Technology Center, which will enable the use of a hands-on curriculum that prepares students and graduates for local job openings in high-demand technology sectors.
LCCC launched its first bachelor of applied science degree in Microelectronic Manufacturing (MEMS) in 2018.
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Marvin and Northland Introduce First-of-Its-Kind Mechatronics Training Program |
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Marvin, a premium manufacturer of windows and doors, is partnering with Northland Community and Technical College (Northland) to bring a new, accredited mechatronics program to Warroad, Minnesota, in January 2022. The new program features innovative curriculum and delivery methods that will support the growing need for advanced manufacturing automation skill sets – not just nationwide, but especially in northwest Minnesota.
This first-of-its-kind education option provides a modernized, human-centered curriculum that enables students to structure their learning schedule around their individual needs and advance at their own pace through online learning and in-person skills assessments.
“Advanced manufacturing automation is the highest-sought-after skill set in the country, and mechanical, electrical, automation, and manufacturing technologies are an urgent and growing need for employers throughout Minnesota,” said Peggy Anderholm, Education Manager, ARC. “This partnership allows Marvin to be a part of the solution while providing a first-of-its-kind education opportunity to our community.”
The new mechatronics program challenges students to develop new skills in adaptive thinking and collaboration. Marvin donated the Warroad facility that will serve as Northland’s fourth site and committed to remodeling it into a mechatronics lab with an attached student study and meeting space, as well as a space for future programming collaboration. Northland invested in a redesign of the mechatronics curriculum and will staff a full-time instructor in Warroad while enhancing support services for students in Roseau County and the surrounding areas.
The new facility, the Advanced Resource Center for Innovation and Education (ARC), is rooted in a competency-based education (CBE) model that caters to all learners regardless of their educational goals. The CBE model does not rely on traditional college timelines or semester blocks but allows students to enter courses any time during the year while working through the material at their own pace and on their own schedules. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to complete competency demonstrations with an instructor to gain credit for prior learning.
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Scholarships Available for Engineering Students
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As the philanthropic arm of SME, an internationally recognized nonprofit organization serving the manufacturing industry, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares, and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent.
The Foundation awards over a million dollars in scholarships every year to several hundred high school seniors and undergraduate/graduate students pursuing degrees in manufacturing, engineering, and related fields. Two- and four-year programs are eligible for consideration.
One scholarship application provides students with the opportunity to be considered for 60-plus Foundation scholarships. The application period is open Nov 1–Feb 1. Awards are issued in the spring. For more information and to apply, go here.
Make a Difference! Become a Scholarship Application Reviewer
The SME Education Foundation is currently looking for engineering professionals or educators with STEM backgrounds to serve as reviewers for our 2022/2023 scholarship program. No reviewer experience necessary!
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Reading Area Community College–First Energy Electrical Utility Community Education–Infrastructure Partnership |
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Reading Area Community College (RACC) and First Energy Electrical Utility have partnered for nearly 15 years in a community, education, and infrastructure program that results in student attainment of an Electrical Utility Technology AAS (EUT AAS) degree and guaranteed employment as an electrical line or substation worker. This program is an excellent example of the responsiveness of a community college to local/regional needs. It provides workforce training designed to produce the number of highly skilled technical workers needed to maintain and improve our electrical utility infrastructure.
The EUT AAS program combines college-level general education with the hands-on technical training needed by employees in the electric industry, specifically line and substation workers. Because it leads to the attainment of an AAS degree, the program helps to retain and promote seasoned electric utility employees after they can no longer meet the physical demands of climbing.
The program began in 2005 and is still going strong in 2021. First Energy determines the maximum number of students needed for every fall cohort by forecasting retirement and position growth. RACC supplies a program coordinator/advisor to manage the recruitment, academic readiness, and academic success of cohort students. RACC ensures the academic readiness of candidates while First Energy ensures their technical, physical, and background readiness. RACC provides instruction in general education while First Energy provides instruction on the technical line and substation requirements. First Energy pays all tuition and related expenses for students who complete the program in two years. The program has an impressive 15-year track record for retention and graduation. This graph illustrates the improvement in the percentages of students graduating, from 75 percent at the program’s inception to 95 percent for the most recent graduating class. The 2022 and 2023 cohorts are expected to graduate all students (15 in 2022 and 24 in 2023).
The EUT AAS program provides a FREE education that leads to family-sustaining employment and ultimately strengthens the electrical utility infrastructure within a 50+ mile radius of Berks County, Pennsylvania.
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Festo Didactic Joins Festo’s Regional Service Center in Mason, Ohio |
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Festo Didactic Learning Systems North America recently relocated its Solution Center production and logistics capabilities from Eatontown, New Jersey, to its 47-acre campus at the Festo Regional Service Center (RSC) in Mason, Ohio.
The move signifies ambitious plans to innovate and expand Festo’s Learning Center in Mason towards a full-scale Industry 4.0 Experience Center. The new center and showroom are aimed at closing the STEM skills gap by bringing technical education, industrial applications, and manufacturing all under one roof. The Experience Center will house the latest in Festo technology, from networked cyber-physical stations to factory robots, assembly components, supply chain innovation, and more.
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Festo’s Regional Service Center is a state-of-the-art logistics and manufacturing plant that provides advanced automation technology serving all of North America. The plant opened in 2015 and is among the 15 largest employers in Mason, Ohio. Mason is also home to Festo’s award-winning mechatronics apprenticeship program (MAP2), which first launched at the Festo Learning Center in 2016. In 2020, MAP2 earned the Best in Ohio Business Award in the Workforce Development Program category. |
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Webinar Invitation: "Smart Manufacturing Methods Made Tangible" |
Join a panel of experts from Festo, Sick, Siemens, and Patrick Henry Community College to discuss strategic methods of implementation for Augmented Reality, Safety Awareness, Virtual Commissioning/Digital Twins, and more.
Date: March 2022
Further details regarding registration coming soon.
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Rhodes State Offers Free CNC Machining Training for “Uniquely Abled” Workforce |
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Rhodes State College in Lima, Ohio, is at the forefront of reimagining today’s workforce. In August 2021, Rhodes graduated the first class of Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA) students in Ohio. The UAA program focuses on training highly functioning autistic individuals in Computer Numeric Controls (CNC) and was developed as part of the nationwide expansion of the Uniquely Abled Project (UAP). The UAP, established in California, focuses on vocational training that matches uniquely abled individuals to jobs that are in demand.
Students in this pre-apprenticeship program not only learned to program, set up, and operate CNC machines, combined with the use of quality control instruments, shop mathematics, and blueprint reading, but also learned soft skills needed to be successful in the working world.
“In collaboration with our local employers, students were given the opportunity to job shadow and tour local manufacturers. In addition, the students were connected to job coaches and other services available in the region to help support them in their employment search,” said Tammy Eilerman from Rhodes. The graduates of the program who were interested in manufacturing were all employed by local manufacturers with one with a starting salary of $19/hour.
The UAP program is designed to be at no cost to the students. The student tuition at Rhodes was funded through scholarships from the HAAS Foundation and funding from the Ohio Manufacturers Workforce Partnership’s, Department of Labor, Scaling Apprenticeship grant.
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Welcome, New Strategic Partners and Members |
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New Strategic Partners (since January 1, 2021)
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New Education Members (since January 1, 2021)
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New CTE High School Membership Initiative |
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