In Part 1, we talked with Rocky Collis about his team's groundbreaking app, Mustard, which leverages computer vision and AI to give all kids access to elite-level coaching and custom practice plans. What if we took a step back and looked at the bigger implications this tech has for kids in all sports? And how can this same technology be deployed in a business setting? That's what we discuss in Part 2, where we dive into: Other sports Mustard is moving into (and the professional athletes who are ...
Mar 21, 2023•29 min•Ep. 105
What if we could leverage computer vision and AI to give all kids access to the world's best coaching - the same that trained legends like Tom Brady and Nolan Ryan? That's what Rocky Collis, Dr. Tom House and team have done with their innovative app, Mustard. Mustard was designed with the goal of democratizing elite coaching - giving all kids access to customized input on their athletic mechanics so they can remain competitive and play sports longer. In this episode, we're talking with Mustard C...
Mar 14, 2023•32 min•Ep. 104
Data - and our ability to harness more of it than ever - is disrupting every part of our lives. That includes heath care. Dr. Brian Kay and his team at Rogers Behavioral Health are leaders in a field called health informatics, the intersection of information science, computer science, and health care. Health care is a field that already collects massive amounts of data. Now, Brian has devised algorithms to leverage that data to improve patient care, which is particularly beneficial in behavioral...
Mar 07, 2023•46 min•Ep. 103
"Oh, it was that easy?" Anthony Murphy and his team are used to hearing this reaction from small-to-midsize manufacturers as they help them launch their digital transformation efforts. Many SMBs foresee high capital expenses, massive change and large implementation teams to become a smart manufacturer. In truth, you don't need a team of engineers and data scientists, and you don't need to restructure your entire production environment. Plex, now part of Rockwell Automation's solution ecosystem, ...
Feb 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 102
With all the reshoring of manufacturing to the US, cities across the country are competing to be destinations for high-quality businesses and talent that will foster economic growth for their communities. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is on such a mission, working to make Milwaukee a "globally competitive region that fosters high value employment to sustain a vibrant quality of life for all." Tim Sheehy has led the MMAC as President for 31 years. Now more than ever, h...
Feb 21, 2023•35 min•Ep. 101
Sh1ft (pronounced Shift One) is transforming frontline labor. By expanding on the power of the gig economy, the company has created a platform that gives individuals all the tools and resources to find frontline jobs in high-demand fields, while giving employers the labor force they need. But it's about so much more than connecting people with jobs. Founder and CEO Jason Radisson is a champion for leveraging technology to make lives better - and now he's applying it to a field that has needed di...
Feb 09, 2023•44 min•Ep. 100
US Cellular is driving digitization in manufacturing.That's right - the consumer wireless carrier you're familiar with has entered the industrial IoT sector, using its unique technology and business case to help manufacturers on their digital transformation journey. In this episode, we're joined by two of US Cellular's experts, Mark Grushey - Business Development Manager for Smart Cities and James Rose - Head of Private Cellular Networks. Mark and James help us understand Private Cellular Networ...
Feb 07, 2023•25 min•Ep. 99
Dr. Bryan Albrecht is a name known and highly respected across the world. 38 years in public education, 19 years at Gateway Technical College, and 16 years serving as that college's President, Bryan's leadership has made a lasting impact on technical education in the United States. In January 2023, Bryan retired from Gateway and passed the reins to Dr. Rita Raju, officially becoming President Emeritus. But is this all for Bryan Albrecht? In this episode, we get to reflect on Bryan's tenure at Ga...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 98
ITR Economics, " first in forecasts worldwide," boasts a 94.7% forecast accuracy. Their Chief Economist and CEO Brian Beaulieu joins us for a fast-paced and engaging discussion on the economic outlook for the U.S. and global economy in 2023 and beyond. But this isn't just your average discussion on economic trends. Our conversation is geared toward helping manufacturers and educators prepare for what's coming in the next 1-3 years, hone their competitive edge, take advantage of funding while it'...
Jan 24, 2023•27 min•Ep. 97
For decades, the nonprofit organization SME has been dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing in two critical areas: technology and people. In this episode, we sat down with Jeannine Kunz, longtime SME team member and newly-appointed Chief Workforce Development Officer to discuss the second area: people. In this era of smart manufacturing, there's a huge people problem - manufacturing as an industry doesn't have the skilled workforce it needs to make the digital transformation to Industry 4...
Jan 17, 2023•49 min•Ep. 96
Partnerships are critical to the success of any technical or community college. Their very purpose is to build a pipeline of talent with the skills most in-demand in their regional businesses and to help employers fill their workforce needs. Macomb Community College in Michigan is a prime example of a college that has leveraged partnerships to enable success in its programs - both on the academic and on the workforce side. In this episode, we sat down with Macomb President Dr. Jim Sawyer to talk...
Jan 10, 2023•36 min•Ep. 95
Happy new year! We're back with another edition of our annual predictions episode. Host Matt Kirchner shares the top 10 trends & technologies that will impact the world of technical education in 2023. Listen for insights, action items and strategies you should be considering as you plan out your year. Share this episode with educators in your network who would benefit from this information! 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: There are 10 predictions in this episode, but they can all be summe...
Jan 03, 2023•41 min•Ep. 94
You've seen Spot the Robot Dog on YouTube and in Superbowl commercials. Now we're talking with an expert from Boston Dynamics about how this emerging field of legged robotics is bringing Industry 4.0 to life for users. Caleb Sylvester is an industrial applications sales manager for Boston Dynamics. He travels the globe helping customers find creative applications for robots like Spot to solve challenges like never before. We talked with Caleb live at IMTS 2022 where Boston Dynamics and Spot had ...
Dec 22, 2022•31 min•Ep. 93
Deep Springs College has been disrupting the traditional model of higher education for over 100 years. Located on a remote cattle ranch in Deep Springs Valley, California, the college focuses on student-led, hands-on learning to prepare individuals for a life of leadership and service to their communities. Students attend Deep Springs College for two years, and each cohort holds about 13 of the more driven, independent and intelligent students from across the country who defer their offers to at...
Dec 19, 2022•26 min•Ep. 92
Digital Transformation is everywhere - and Rockwell Automation is right at the center of it. Andrew Ellis is Vice President of Rockwell's Global Portfolio Engineering division, responsible for the ecosystem of solutions developed by Rockwell Automation, their acquired brands, and their many partners across the globe. He has firsthand insight into how the digital industrial world is evolving, and along with it, the way customers seek solutions and the kinds of skills required by the digital workf...
Dec 12, 2022•30 min•Ep. 91
The Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing Moving from Evolution to Revolution (HAMMER) Engineering Research Center at the Ohio State University is developing next-gen processes and systems for what the future of manufacturing will look like. A $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation is enabling Ohio State and its partner network to carry out research and education around hybrid autonomous manufacturing. Glenn Daehn, a professor of metallurgical engineering, is Director of the HAMMER Eng...
Nov 22, 2022•38 min•Ep. 89
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. They serve over 331,000 students and instructors annually...that's over 14 million students since its founding in 1965! You might be familiar with SkillsUSA through their popular state and national competitions. But they're about more than just hard skills: Their mission is all about empowering students to become world-class leaders, workers and American citizens. In this epi...
Nov 21, 2022•45 min•Ep. 90
What happens when you disrupt K-12 education by applying the private equity model to it? Darca Schools, led by CEO Dr. Gil Pereg, are doing this very thing in Israel, with momentous beneficial impact on students in rural, peripheral, underperforming and underrepresented communities. It's unusual to see the crossover between these two worlds: private equity and education. But Darca Schools brings these two together in a groundbreaking network of 45 schools that give vulnerable students from all s...
Nov 09, 2022•43 min•Ep. 88
FANUC is the global leader in robotics and CNC controls technology - and we sat down with FANUC America's President & CEO Mike Cicco at IMTS 2022 to dive into the latest trends in automation. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: 1. AI and Digital Twins will have a huge impact on automation in the next few years: Like many industrial OEMs, FANUC is turning to software innovation to enhance its world-leading hardware offerings. Right now, R&D is focused on artificial intelligence and digital...
Nov 08, 2022•35 min•Ep. 87
The CHIPS and Science Act was signed into law by President Biden in August 2022 with huge implications for technological research and advancement in the United States. The bill will enable universities and companies to perform cutting-edge research and manufacturing around technologies like semiconductors, quantum computing, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence advanced energy, 6G and more. There was huge bipartisan support for this legislation, showing that no matter what side of the politic...
Nov 01, 2022•24 min•Ep. 86
Ken Rusk started his first job as a ditch digger at 15 and turned that into a successful company: Rusk Industries. Decades of skilled labor, entrepreneurship and coaching have led Ken to share all his insights in his book Blue Collar Cash . Blue collar jobs don't get the credit they deserve, and Ken is on a mission to change that. By pursuing a skilled trade, individuals can build their dream life while working for themselves. We sat down with Ken to talk about the incredible opportunities avail...
Oct 21, 2022•39 min•Ep. 85
Growing up, Don Thomas always dreamed of becoming an astronaut. But the journey to space wasn't an easy one. Through years of hard work, studying, and learning new skills, Don's perseverance landed him his dream job of becoming a NASA Space Shuttle astronaut. Recorded live at IMTS 2022 in Chicago, we have a fascinating discussion with Dr. Thomas about his journey to becoming an astronaut, his four science missions in space, and what the future of space exploration could look like for students in...
Oct 14, 2022•47 min•Ep. 84
In recent years, Career and Technical Education has put an emphasis on industry-recognized certifications (IRCs). These IRCs are proof-of-skills for high school students entering the workforce or post-secondary education. In other words, having an industry-recognized credential should signify to an employer that a student has mastered a set of skills required for the workforce. But how effective is this strategy? This was the question University of Texas at Austin Professor Matt Giani set out to...
Oct 07, 2022•46 min•Ep. 83
It seems autonomous robots and self-driving vehicles are everywhere today. Longstanding organizations and startups alike are competing to bring cutting-edge robotics to the market for commercial applications, household use, national security and defense work...the opportunities are limitless. Clearpath Robotics is one of the leaders in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and they're putting this technology to work in industrial material handling applications. We sat down with the company's CEO Matt...
Oct 03, 2022•35 min•Ep. 82
You might know them as a technology company, but people are at the center of what Best Buy does. And in today's tech-driven world, Best Buy knows that any organization's success is dependent on having bright, inspired and tech-savvy individuals carrying out the company's mission. And that starts by investing in our youth. We have a fascinating discussion with Tequilla Lopez, Director of Social Impact programs at Best Buy, about how the company is supporting students across the country with the s...
Sep 26, 2022•43 min•Ep. 81
How can business owners maximize the value of their company? Look no further than the people in your organization and the talent in your region. Private equity enables entrepreneurs and founders to achieve the American Dream by offering a succession plan to an organization that will be a great steward of the company and carry out the mission of the founder. Borgman Capital does just this. The firm works with midwestern companies across all sectors, many in the small-to-midsized manufacturing mar...
Sep 12, 2022•36 min•Ep. 80
Automation Alley, a World Economic Forum AMHUB, is at the center of some of the most innovative Industry 4.0-focused projects, startups and technology accelerators in the country. In episode two of our two-part series with Automation Alley Executive Director and CEO Tom Kelly, we get into some of these initiatives that deploy cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing, blockchain, artificial intelligence and more. Learn how small and midsize manufacturers are leveraging additive manufacturing fo...
Sep 06, 2022•28 min•Ep. 79
Automation Alley is one of the World Economic Forum's AMHUBs (Advanced Manufacturing Hub). These centers of excellence aggregate and share knowledge, resources and tools around Industry 4.0 through collaborative projects and initiatives. In episode one of our two-part series with Automation Alley Executive Director and CEO Tom Kelly, we discuss the state of Industry 4.0 in the United States. Are small and midsized manufacturers aware of the impact Industry 4.0 will have? What technological and c...
Aug 23, 2022•34 min•Ep. 78
Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) is on a mission to empower the nation's young people with the skills and the support they need to succeed in education, employment, and life. Their vision? All young people are prepared for future success. JAG reaches 70,000 young people in 1,500 communities across the United States - students who are underserved and face barriers and challenges that leave them disconnected from traditional education. Through their unique JAG Model and 3-pronged JAG Advantage, ...
Aug 19, 2022•45 min•Ep. 77
Architects are visionaries whose designs bring purpose to places, bring communities together, and can be a catalyst for life-changing experiences. As past President of the American Institute of Architects and Co-Founder of Architecture is Fun, Peter Exley designs spaces for mission-driven organizations to help them tell their story and have a positive impact on students, families and communities. In this episode, we talk all things architecture - the perfect combination of STEM skills and artist...
Aug 12, 2022•38 min•Ep. 76
