The TechEd Podcast

Western Technical College, under the leadership of president Roger Stanford, is demonstrating how technical and community colleges should adapt to the evolving needs of learners as perceptions around the value of degrees and certificates continues to change. Western is forward-thinking in two key areas: who they're serving, and how they're delivering the learning. In this episode, we sit down with Roger Stanford to see how the college is meeting the needs of all kinds of students (and regional businesses), and how they've adapted their course offerings to meet each learner where they are. College leaders, take note! This is what higher education of the future looks like. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Technical colleges serve an unbelievably diverse range of learners, and they need to have a delivery model that can meet the needs of each: Degrees are important, but they're not everything: A technical college education gives individuals the confidence that they can achieve their goals:Resources Mentioned in this Episode Operation NextConnect with Western Technical College online: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube View episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/westerntechnicalcollege/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Ever wonder what it would look like to create a bachelors degree program so innovative, so accessible, so flexible, and so industry-driven that it's the first of its kind in the nation? The University of Wisconsin-Stout has done just that with the new Automation Leadership degree. Built on industry-recognized credentials with a focus on hands-on skills and career readiness, the Automation Leadership program is meeting an acute need in the manufacturing industry in a way no other degree can. After completing the program, students will be equipped with the essential technical and leadership skills to take any company through a digital transformation. UW-Stout Chancellor Katherine Frank and Dr. David Ding, Director of Stout's School of Engineering join us on this invigorating episode where we dive deep into just how innovative this program is. 3 Big Takeaways: The Automation Leadership degree meets a crucial need of industry - the combination of technical and business skills: The future of higher education consists of more on-ramps and off-ramps, greater flexibility, and more credit for prior learning:Built on skill standards defined by industry, the Smart Automation Certification Alliance credentials make up a foundational part of this new degree: Resources Mentioned in this Episode press releasehttps://www.uwstout.edu/programs/bs-automation-leadershiphttps://www.saca.org/Connect with UW-Stout: Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/automationleadership/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Let's face it: college isn't for everyone. Especially with the amount of student debt being carried by individuals long into their career; oftentimes, for degrees that don't even get used. We need to inform and inspire students towards careers they're passionate about and wired for, and help them find the right education option that will get them to that goal. Parents, educators, mentors in the workforce - we all have a role in making sure the next generation workforce has the right set of skills for their profession, especially in manufacturing. In this episode, we bring on Terry Iverson - Founder of CHAMPION Now and author of Inspiring Champions in Advanced Manufacturing: Discover the Path to a Debt-Free Career. Terry's books are all about highlighting the world of manufacturing and why it's a great career choice. And in this latest book, it's a unique message to parents and their teens. Listen in for a great conversation about mentorship, the right education for the right career, manufacturing, and the value of asking the right questions and having candid conversations with students. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Students need an education that's aligned to their career goals: Manufacturing (and similar industries) need to be options on the table: Parents and their students need to have candid, informed conversations with each other: Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://championnow.org/Inspiring Champions in Advanced Manufacturing: Discover the Path to a Debt-Free CareerFinding America's Greatest Championhttps://www.mfgday.com/ Connect with CHAMPION Now online: Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword, it's a reality in every space in our lives. In this fast-paced episode, get a crash course on artificial intelligence from podcast host Matt Kirchner as he breaks down this complex concept into easily-digestible components. What is artificial intelligence in layman's terms? Get a new definition that will help make sense of AI like never before. Plus, hear the breakdown of the 4 elements that every artificially intelligent system does. Once you know these elements, you can see them at work in all AI platforms and you can begin to teach it at every level of education. Finally, get 7 real-life examples of how to bring AI technology into the classroom today. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Artificial intelligence defined:Every AI system does 4 things - See, Think, Do, Communicate: Get 7 examples of artificial intelligence that can be taught in schools today:Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://www.quanser.com/send us an emailEpisode page: https://techedpodcast.com/howtoteachai/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is on a mission to develop the fastest-growing and most equitable economy in the country. With technology progressing faster than ever alongside a tight labor market, Kerry Ebersole Singh has an important job as MEDC's Chief Talent Solutions & Engagement Officer. We sat down with Kerry to discover how the MEDC is addressing the workforce needs of the state's employers. It's an episode full of insights, takeaways and strategies every state government, employer and education system can learn from. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Workforce development requires short-term and long-term strategies: Certifications play an important role in this era of lifelong learning:Industry, education, and government can work cohesively to align needs and resources: Resources Mentioned in this Episode The Michigander EV Scholars programhttps://www.michiganbusiness.org/talent-action-team/Connect with MEDC online: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube View episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/medc/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Big opportunities await across small towns in North Dakota. From agriculture to manufacturing, energy, healthcare and defense, the industrial workforce has a strong presence in the state. Now more than ever, career and technical education is vital to the state's economy. We took a two-week tour through North Dakota, interviewing leaders in CTE at every corner of the state, to discover what makes North Dakota so unique. Join us on a journey in this unique episode of The TechEd Podcast. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: The big-yet-small mindset of North Dakota is a huge benefit for CTE: State governments must allocate more funding to support career and technical education:Growing CTE isn't just about doing more, it's about doing better, too: Speakers Featured in this Episode Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/northdakota/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Sue Smith is the Vice President for Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Sciences at Ivy Tech Community College - Indiana's largest post-secondary institution and the largest singly-accredited community college in the U.S. With 19 campuses and 41 sites, her job is to ensure there's a pipeline of skilled workers for industrial employers all over the state. In her efforts to keep Ivy Tech's manufacturing programs current with industry trends, she's helped launch new degrees and certificate programs that are actually ahead of the game. Graduates are entering the workforce with skills in automation, autonomous systems, digital integration and smart manufacturing that actually enable them to lead their company from Industry 3.0 to Industry 4.0. In this episode, Sue shares her experiences leading one of the most advanced technical education programs in the country. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: For the first time, education is ahead of industry when it comes to technology adoption: Industry certifications should be built into every technical education program:Want to stay on-pace with emerging technologies? Find ways to integrate them into your existing programs:Resources Mentioned in this Episode Smart Manufacturing and Digital Integration DegreeSmart Automation Certification AllianceAutomation Leadership DegreeIvy Tech Community CollegeConnect with Ivy Tech online: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Visit episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/smith/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

In today's manufacturing landscape, culture can make or break your business. But culture is about far more than a catchy mission statement or list of company values displayed on the wall. John Mellowes is the CEO of Charter Manufacturing and an expert on company culture and joins us for an important discussion that every business leader needs to hear. In this episode... 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: The "success formula" proves the value of culture on your bottom line:Want engaged employees? Work on these four things:Leaders must also be stewards of the business:Resources Mentioned in this Episode DriveStart with WhyHow to Win Friends and Influence Peoplewww.chartermfg.comConnect with Charter Manufacturing online: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Visit episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/mellowes/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

The U.S. Department of Defense has over 100,000 engineers working on some of the most innovative and critical technology projects in the world. In fact Dr. David Honey, Deputy Undersecretary for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), calls it a "STEM-powered enterprise." Within the Department, the USD(R&E) serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), leads research across 14 critical technology areas, develops partnerships with select universities on advanced projects, oversees research initiatives by collaborative entities, and plays the important role as advisor to the rest of the Department on matters related to science, technology, engineering and more. We had the unique privilege to sit down with Dr. Honey to explore this work and how it ties back to STEM education in so many critical ways. Educators, be prepared to hear some fascinating opportunities for your students, as well as gain access to resources you can use in your own classrooms and labs. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: If you're in STEM, you're pretty much future-proof: These three characteristics make for an ideal engineer at the Department of Defense:There isn't any area of STEM that isn't relevant to the work of the Department of Defense:Resources Mentioned in this Episode https://www.cto.mil/14 critical technology areasUARCsSTEM Education resourcesInnovation PathwaysConnect with USD(R&E) online: Twitter | LinkedIn Connect with DoD STEM online: Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Data management isn't just a skill for data scientists. Today's shop floor is being managed by connected software systems that put manufacturing-specific data right into the hands of operators. In addition to setting up and running equipment, operators are expected to interact with high-tech data software right at their work station that makes their job easier. Data management is a skill every employer wants in a new hire - especially those in technical fields. So how should schools incorporate data into technical programs? Paul Van Metre, Founder of ProShop ERP, is on a mission to help more schools move from spreadsheets to authentic industrial software so students have the foundation they need for the workforce. We talk all about data management for the shop floor & how to integrate these systems and processes in the classroom. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Spreadsheets are better than no data management, but ERP is even better:Schools should teach the integration of digital technology and physical machines:Student-run businesses are a great way to teach manufacturing skills & employability skills at the same time: Resources ProShop ERPcontact ProShopEagle ManufacturingLinkedInConnect with ProShop on social media: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/proshop/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

What if we threw out grades and focused on proficiency instead? What if students could choose their own curriculum and projects? What would an education model look like if it was truly designed to prepare students for today's world? Northern Cass School District may be just 700 learners in all of K-12, but this rural North Dakota district is redefining what education should look like. A few years ago, Superintendent Dr. Cory Steiner and his faculty set out to do the seemingly impossible: throw out the traditional K-12 education system and redesign a model that truly serves students and the community, all while getting student, parent and teacher buy-in. The journey wasn't easy, but Northern Cass's personalized learning model is making waves with its student-led, choice-ready approach to education. In this episode, Cory takes us through that journey, covering topics you'll love to hear: 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: If K-12 education doesn't change, we'll lose a generation of learners:Proficiency is a better metric than grades:Students need voice and choice, while teachers should be facilitators of learning: Resources StrategyTed Talk Connect with Northern Cass School District: Facebook | Twitter Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/steiner/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

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As Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Congressman Frank Lucas is passionate about strengthening STEM in America. We sat down with the Chairman to talk about the vast technological advances taking place in the U.S. thanks to bipartisan efforts in the Committee, legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, and the growth of STEM programs in schools today. Through all that progress, there is still work to be done inspiring and equipping the next generation of technologists to fill high-demand careers across every sector of the economy. Hear about the incredible opportunities for today's students, and better understand where STEM education can meet the growing needs of the skilled workforce. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Don't underestimate agriculture - precision ag is a high-tech field!Jobs are going wasted because companies don't have people to fill them; that's where STEM education can help: Research and development around next generation technologies are moving us farther, faster:Resources Learn more about organizations featured in this episode: House Committee on Science, Space and TechnologyLearn more about Congressman LucasConnect with the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology: YouTube | Facebook | Twitter Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/lucas/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Women have made tremendous strides in engineering over the last few decades. Rising both in numbers and in leadership roles, girls now have more women to look up to in STEM fields than ever before. Representation is crucial. When young girls dream about their future, remember this phrase: If they can see it, they can be it. No one knows this better than Heidi Balestrieri. In college, she was the lone girl in a class of 50 mechanical engineering graduates. When she entered the workforce, the gender gap was even more apparent. But Heidi pursued her passions and rose to become Director of Engineering at Sentry Equipment. For her work in manufacturing and STEM outreach, she was the recipient of a Manufacturing Institute Women MAKE award. Heidi joins us for a discussion around women in engineering: how far we've come, how far we need to go, and what individuals, schools and businesses can do to create a world where every girl feels empowered to pursue a career in STEM. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Engineers are problem solvers:Give interns a real engineering project, and get a long-term employee:Representation + community are needed for women in engineering:Resources Learn more about organizations featured in this episode: Sentry EquipmentManufacturing Institute Women MAKEGirl Scouts STEM badgesFIRST Lego LeagueConnect with Heidi on LinkedIn. View episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/balestrieri/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

As Vice President for Economic Development at Ogeechee Technical College, Jan Moore's job is to make sure the region has the skilled talent it needs to meet employer demand - and that includes the incumbent workforce. And recently, that need has grown exponentially: Hyundai is investing in a $5.5 billion campus locally. That has far-reaching implications, bringing in other business to the area to the tune of $20 billion, resulting in 14,000 - 16,000 additional people that will be needed for the workforce. These are highly-automated facilities, and it's Jan's job to create the training structures to sustain a talent pipeline of new and incumbent workers. That kind of project means disrupting the old model of technical education and thinking outside the box. We sat down with Jan to hear her innovative approaches to workforce readiness, including 3 ways technical education must be disrupted. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Modern technical education requires a layering of industrial technology with data:Train to retain - it's the employer's responsibility to continue upskilling their workforce:3 disruptions needed in technical education - apprenticeships, third party credentials, and timing:Resources Or learn more about Economic Development & Apprenticeship at Ogeechee Technical College Connect with OTC: LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/ogeechee/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

From the designers of the world's first full-sized autonomous helicopter, Gather AI is totally disrupting inventory management. Gather AI has fully autonomous drones flying around warehouses, using smart sensors & camera systems to gather data on racks and pallets of inventory, communicating that data in real-time with the warehouse management system and keeping a live, accurate log of the entire warehouse's inventory. No longer do companies need the laborious task of manually driving forklifts to pull inventory, log it in spreadsheets and slowly disperse the data to those who need it. Instead, this system of hardware + software + data is massively speeding up that process and freeing up humans to do more interesting work. We sat down with the company's Vice President of Customer Success Sean Mitchell to dig into the technology, the role of data and how it's revolutionizing logistics in manufacturing and distribution today. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: A truly disruptive solution like Gather AI's requires the integration of hardware, software and data:Inventory automation enables warehouse operators to do more value-added work:How can schools replicate a system like this in the classroom? Teach the integration of these 3 key components: Resources Learn more about Gather AI: gather.ai Connect with Gather AI: LinkedIn | YouTube Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/gatherai/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Every day you interact with hundreds of products made by companies you've never heard of, making things you didn't realize you needed or existed until you learned they exist. But these companies are everywhere, employing such a huge percentage of our workforce and driving so much economic growth and innovation that, without them, our way of life in America would cease to exist. Asutosh Padhi is North American Managing Partner for McKinsey & Company. He just published The Titanium Economy, and it's a deep dive into these companies and the immense value they bring to the U.S. We sat down with Asutosh to uncover his findings and celebrate the work being done in the Titanium Economy. 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Titanium Economy companies are productivity superstars:The Great Amplification Cycle:The Titanium Economy is a little-known secret that shouldn't be kept secret any longer: Resources Learn more about The Titanium Economy book: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/the-titanium-economy Connect with McKinsey & Company: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/titaniumeconomy Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Jarrod Barnes, Professor at NYU, is an early adopter of AI in the classroom. As a lifelong coach, he's developing an AI playbook for educators to help others engage with these tools and drive positive outcomes in the classroom. Jarrod has been experimenting with AI in his own classes, and now he's sitting down with us to share all the key takeaways. This is a great episode for those wanting to embrace AI but first want to hear from someone who has already paved the path. Inside this episode: 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: AI is a reasoning machine:easoning machine3 applications for AI that have benefited students at NYU:AI will disrupt the student - teacher relationship:keepers of knowledgefacilitatorsResources To learn more about NYU, visit: www.nyu.edu Read: Forget Lectures, It's Time for Conversational Learning: GPT-4 and the Future of Education Connect with Jarrod: Twitter | LinkedIn Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/barnes/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Ed Magee has a fascinating career history - from the Marine Corps to decades of operations leadership at Harley-Davidson and Fender - and now he's instilling his lessons learned in a new role as Vice President for Strategic Operations at Belmont University. The truth is, university education in America is facing a crossroads: either innovate and adapt, or fade away. The workplace is changing rapidly, the market for education is changing, and what students want out of their college experience has changed. If universities don't recognize these changes and pivot, they won't be around for long. Fortunately, Ed's experience in operations leadership positions him to bring this entrepreneurial mindset to Belmont. And in this episode, we're digging into what those lessons from manufacturing are, and what higher education should be doing to adapt to the market. Inside this episode: 3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Universities need to adopt a "startup" mindset:Manufacturing operations lend themselves well to university education:To drive organizational change, effective leaders put people first: Resources To learn more about Belmont University, visit: www.belmont.edu Connect with Belmont: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/belmont/ Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

Dr. Rich Barnhouse is an education innovator. With experience leading higher education all over the U.S., he understands how to disrupt traditional models, create sustainable change, and embrace cutting-edge technologies that will empower students to be productive in the workforce. We sat down with Rich to talk about some of his strategic initiatives as President of Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) - including how to harness the power artificial intelligence in education. This episode is full of insights into the transformative potential of AI in the classroom, in the administrative office and in the workforce. Inside this episode: functional3 Big Takeaways from this episode: Automatic organic evolution:Companies are facing AI gaps in two key places:AI is transforming higher education not just in the classroom, but at its operational core: Resources To learn more about Waukesha County Technical College, visit: www.wctc.edu Connect with WCTC: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/barnhouse Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn