Preparing Technicians for the Future of Work

Episode 49: Integrating Emerging and Cross-Cutting Technologies: Biotech and Excel with Alexandra Gorgevska

Episode 48: Integrating Emerging and Cross-Cutting Technologies: Cybersecuity Across the Disciplines with John Sands

Episode 47: Integrating Emerging and Cross-Cutting Technologies: Manufacturing and Data Analytics with Mason Lefler and Scott Danielson

Episode 45: Integrating Emerging and Cross-Cutting Technologies: Autonomous with Zackary Nicklin

Episode 46: Integrating Emerging and Cross-Cutting Technologies: Electric with Kevin Cooper

Episode 44: Unlocking Potential Through Technology

Imagine being part of a team working for global manufacturing, supply and distribution of groundbreaking vaccines and life-saving treatments. Imagine as a technician the different roles you might have. What are your job responsibilities? What are the fundamentals and what are the more advance skills that will set you on a career path of success? Find out in this episode when Mike explores these questions and more with guest Jon Tucker.As an industry leader with a wealth of experience, Jon shares...

Episode 43: Unlocking Potential Through Technology

As an IT professional with an entrepreneurial spirit, Amy brings her vast international experience in both large and small tech companies as she shares her insight into the Tech workforce. What skills does a technician coming into the workforce need to have to be employable and successful? Hear about the value of lifelong learning and reskilling as the development arc technicians need for a continuous trajectory of a thriving career in tech. Learn how Career Pathways, apprenticeships, and certif...

Episode 42: What Is Emerging? Just Look at Your Mobile Phone

In this episode, Todd Christensen joins Mike to talk about integrated sensors, MEMS, and how advanced digital technologies are increasing the complexity of the tools and skills required by technicians. Digitalization means technicians must be equipped with a broad range of cross-disciplinary stem skills. Todd also shares his take on the recent bill for chip manufacturing and research and how it could impact the workforce. Find out what Todd believes will be the next big thing and what advice he ...

Episode 41: Factory Reset - Redefining Manufacturing In the New Digital Age

In this episode, Mike interviews Jake Hall, the "Manufacturing Millennial" for a fresh perspective on the next generation of technicians. With emerging technologies in Industry 4.0, Jake shares his thoughts about how factories are transforming and what the manufacturing sector needs to do to recruit and develop young talent.

Episode 40: Harnessing the Power of Data and the Must-Have Cross-Disciplinary Skills

Host Mike Lesiecki interviews Jordan Morrow, the “Godfather of Data Literacy.” They discuss how technicians can become proficient in interpreting and communicating data and why these skills are more important than ever for the future of work. They examine what certification programs and pathways for data literacy and data analytics are emerging to help address the critical functions of data literacy and data analytics. Mike and Jordan explore how instructors can begin integrating data literacy a...

Episode 39: Adapting Additive Manufacturing Technology to Meet the Demands of I4.0

Host Mike Lesiecki interviews Eric Wooldridge and learns how Eric’s education and broad industry experience in engineering, architecture, and farming help him develop curricula in additive manufacturing/3D printing for Somerset’s 16 college sites and satellites.Hear about innovations happening in additive manufacturing on the front-lines of education, and discover which skills in the Cross-Disciplinary Stem Core technicians will need as the demand for additive manufacturing/3D printing by variou...

Episode 38: Technicians in the New Blue Economy

Join Mike and his guest, Justin Manley, as they take us on a seafaring exploration of the "blue economy" and the possibilities for technicians in this unique working environment. From his early days running a research lab building ocean robots at MIT to his current role on the business side, Justin brings his comprehensive take on ocean tech and the transferability of technical skills from one industry to another.

Episode 37: Incorporating the Internet of Things

In this episode hear how one college is collaborating to innovate curriculum development. With the rapid emergence of the multi-disciplinary skills needed in technologies like the Internet of Things, learn about model strategies and how these innovators at Moraine Valley Community College are bringing out the best in their faculty to meet the needs of students and industry.

Episode 36: Supply Chain Automation In Transition

Phil Gilkes shares his extensive knowledge about the trends and transitions in the Supply Chain Automation industry. With systems like Predictive Maintenance and Overall Equipment Efficiency, Phil discusses the growing need for technicians to have a deeper understanding of effectiveness and efficiency in operating and maintaining equipment. Phil also gives insight into how education and employers are responding in order to equip technicians with the skills they'll need to succeed in the industry...

Episode 35: The Emerging Workforce in Advanced Manufacturing

What is the number one skill that manufacturing looks for in recruiting? With emerging technologies and Industry 4.0, the landscape in manufacturing is changing every day. Despite the new corresponding skills technicians will need for career success, there are important perennial skills in the manufacturing industry. What are these skills? How will a technician integrate these cross-disciplinary skills for maximum effectiveness? Find out more in this podcast and hear how manufacturers are workin...

Episode 34: Biology and Its Industrial Revolution

How are industry, education, and government working together to build a sustainable end-to-end bioindustrial manufacturing ecosystem? Why is it more important than ever and how can industry work with educational institutions to influence curriculum development so that technicians acquire the cross-disciplinary skills industry needs? Listen to our interview with Tom Tubon of BioMADE as he and Mike discuss how BioMADE is catalyzing collaboration and innovation to help develop and expand the future...

Episode 33: Technicians Enabling the Cloud

In episode 33 Mike and guest Aaron Osmond explore the cloud from an industry and workforce perspective. They discuss the need to increase the pipeline of technicians going into cloud technology and how emerging technologies are expanding the range of skills needed by technicians working in the cloud space. With the increasing demand for skilled technicians hear how companies like AWS Cloud services are partnering with higher education institutions and workforce agencies to integrate cloud educat...

Episode 32: Sending and Amplifying the Signal

In this episode we hear three different perspectives in a strategic partnership that is developing the pipeline of technicians for one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities, a semiconductor foundry. Hear about how industry partners are working with community colleges to identify skills gaps and empower educators to align and adapt existing coursework to address those skills gaps. How is this relationship empowering educators to have their finger on the pulse of industry demands so they c...

Episode 31: Skilled Technicians, Farmers Yield Innovation with Digital Agriculture

In this episode, Mike talks with Drew Garretson, Director of Digital Experience for Ceres Solutions. Drew shares about Industry 4.0 in agriculture and the diverse skills and expertise of technicians and farmers that are impacting agriculture in the digital age.

Episode 30: Every Day is Different for a Food Technician

In this episode, Mike talks with Carl Benttine, a Senior Electronics Technician at Hormel Foods. Carl shares his educational and workforce journey, in which he gained a variety of electromechanical, programming and troubleshooting skills that have led to a long career.

Episode 29: Technology and Education for Future Farming

In this interview with Curt Yoose, an Agriculture instructor at Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota, he discusses agricultural technology and education programs. He defines the field as “using technology to make producers, growers, farmers more productive, more efficient, and lessen their impact on the environment, using technology to do those things.” He explained that there are two types of technical applications in agriculture—one dealing with software and data components and another wit...

Episode 28: Reinventing the IT Workforce

Before Jennifer Oddo became Executive Director of the Division of Workforce Education and Innovation at Youngstown State University, she spent a significant amount of time at IBM, where she helped them create their competency-based IT apprenticeship program, focused on “new-collar” jobs. "Many know apprenticeships in the trades and construction industry and they’ve had a lot of success in those areas. But what many don’t realize is that IBM, along with other companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Bos...

Episode 27: Welding is One of the Puzzle Pieces

Rich Little, a welding engineer at United Launch Alliance, the space vehicle manufacturing company that manufactured the Atlas Delta and Vulcan Centaur launch vehicles, says that incoming welders will need preparation in the basics, including shield metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding. He adds that on top of that, it would be great for them: "to learn some computers, electrical, systems, robotics—and start to understand that not all welding today is shield metal ar...

Episode 26: Future Work, Future Technologies, Future Workforce

Dr. Linda Molnar is a scientist and entrepreneur with more than 20 years’ experience in the life sciences and chemical industries. She's integrated her scientific research and engineering background with commercialization for startups and international government and business environments. Currently, Dr. Molnar is a National Science Foundation Program Director involved with a very new program called the Convergence Accelerator.

Episode 25: Robotics Skills, Robotics Careers

It's a great time to start focusing on robotics and automation, says Chief Workforce Officer of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute, Lisa Masciantonio, because it will provide a lifelong learning journey with continuing opportunities for career evolution. Robotics and automation technologies and changing and expanding rapidly and that means that manufacturers need a workforce that can keep pace with the changes. Masciantonio sees a large skills gap that her Institute is addre...

Episode 24: Digital Fabrication

Sarah Boisvert has put her 30+ years of experience in the design, development, and commercialization of high technology products, digital fabrication, laser machining and 3D printing to excellent use as the founder and CEO of the Fab Lab Hub, the Co-founder of the New Collar Network, and the author of the book, The New Collar Workforce. In this episode, she shares what her research has revealed employers – particularly in manufacturing – are looking for and the new ways that operators and techni...

Episode 23: A Partnership for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Education

In 2020, Intel and the Maricopa Community College District issued a joint press releases announcing their partnership to launch the first associate degree program in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Carlos Contreras with Intel notes a sense of urgency around this technology because of the speed at which it is being adopted by a wide variety of industry sectors. Partnerships between educational institutions and industry provide a collaborative model that is custom-built to address th...

Episode 22: Here Come the Cobots!

Over the last decade, collaborative robot technology has really gained traction in the automation market. Collaborative robots (cobots) can safely operate in close proximity to skilled human operators and are very easy to deploy and use, explains Joe Campbell of Universal Robots. Cobot programming is very simple in contrast to traditional robots so technicians can learn the fundamentals within a few hours through UR’s online academy. This accessibility conveys an added benefit—it helps combat th...

Episode 21: Automation — Helping Technicians Be More Productive

Dave Vasko, Director of Advanced Technologies at Rockwell Automation, describes how the increasing sophistication and capabilities of technologies coming to the manufacturing floor — technologies such as AI and the anticipated hybridization of large-scale robots with slower more independent cobots – are creating a lot of complexity for the technician. Going forward, he says, technicians will require different skills: the ability to configure networks and firewalls, to operate equipment remotely ...

Episode 20: It’s Not Just Pressing “Cycle Start”

Having been part of a company that distributes, rebuilds and services machine tool for nearly 40 years, Terry Iverson has seen many changes in CNC and in manufacturing overall. In this episode, he shares his perspectives on the factors driving CNC manufacturing today——global competitiveness, reshoring, and the need for younger employees; explains the unique characteristics of the four types of control systems; and describes the impact of emerging technologies. Where is industry going next with a...