The TechEd Podcast

The Milwaukee Bucks' 2021 NBA Championship run was a historic feat 50 years in the making. Tens of thousands of fans watched from inside Fiserv Forum and just outside in the Deer District. The energy, enthusiasm and spirit of the team and the fans were unequaled in the championships...

And all of the technology that kept everything running - from connectivity to WiFi, digital displays and data analytics to national media - was made possible thanks to Bucks' Chief Technology and Strategy Officer Robert Cordova and his team.

The Technology of a Professional Sports Franchise
Take a deep dive with us into the technology that helps make the Bucks franchise successful - and the exciting challenges Robert's team faced as they prepared for the NBA Championship games in Milwaukee. You'll learn about...

• How technology informs business strategy
• The convergence of OT and IT
• Why we should look at a venue like Fiserv Forum as a "factory of events"
• How pro sports teams are using artificial intelligence to develop game strategies

How to Work in Professional Sports...through STEM!
Did you know there are countless STEM-focused careers in professional athletics. Robert gives us some great examples of how engineers, IT/OT professionals, marketers, data scientists and more could have an amazing career in the world of sports. You'll hear...

• What jobs exist for STEM students who also love athletics
• How to find and work toward these careers
• How Robert's own engineering background led him to the Bucks

Also in this episode:

• Hear what it was like to experience the Bucks' 2021 NBA Championship run in person
• How the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation is supporting local STEM education
• Why mentors are so important!

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/the-technology-that-powered-an-nba-championship-run/

Find The TechEd Podcast online:
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Generac's revenue has grown 6x since Aaron Jagdfeld took over as CEO in 2008. The company saw 50% growth in 2021 alone. How did they achieve this incredible growth, and how does that impact business decisions moving forward?

Rethink Manufacturing
50% year-over-year growth is an incredible accomplishment, but it's not without its challenges. How did Generac meet increased demand for products - especially in a state that's facing record-breaking unemployment lows?

The organization had to rethink manufacturing and the future of their factories. That means investing in automation and the upskilling of employees that comes with it.

But it's not an overnight task...

Generating Awareness Around Manufacturing
If manufacturing continues to grow like it has, it's going to take more than upskilling the current workforce. It will require consistent, strategic connection with schools, parents and students as young as middle school.

Generac has been ahead of the game on this front through their work with GPS Education Partners. Hear all about this program's work-based-learning initiatives in the episode.

Third-Party Certifications
As we train more people to work in advanced manufacturing, third-party credentials are key to developing skillsets around a standard set of competencies.

We discuss Generac's involvement in the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) and  Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has enabled them to be part of the creation of these standards - that's the real value for employers.

Leadership
We pick Aaron's brain for how he was able to grow Generac during his tenure as CEO. Manufacturing executives, managers and employees take note: there is some incredible advice around having the right risk paradigm, asking lots of questions, and not being the smartest person in the room.

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/leading-through-massive-growth-in-manufacturing/

Find The TechEd Podcast online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

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The energy sector is facing major (and exciting) disruption in the coming years, and it's going to impact every single business, home and individual in meaningful ways.

We sat down with Aaron Jagdfeld, CEO of Generac (GNRC), a leading manufacturer of power solutions, to get his expert insights into innovations taking place in the energy ecosystem and the impact this will all have on consumers.

The Energy Company of the Future
What does the energy company of tomorrow look like? Aaron gives us the 2 keys driving change in the energy sector. 

Keep an eye out for new sources of energy, a decentralization of utilities, challenges with energy usage and storage (like how we make sure we can sustain the grid), and more power being given to the consumer.

Smart Homes
Every year, new technology becomes available that makes our homes smarter and more connected. A home's energy consumption plays a huge role in this - including where we get our power, how we store it, and how artificial intelligence and machine learning will automatically optimize our energy usage.

Aaron gives us his predictions for what the smart home of the future is going to be like, along with a preview of some incredible technologies Generac is investing in to enable this future to come to life.

Also in this episode:

• The impact EV vehicles will have on your home's energy usage - and the challenges this brings to the grid
• How consumers will have up-to-the-minute data on their energy usage
• Why power outages today are a much bigger problem for consumers than they used to be

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/future-of-energy-power-and-smart-homes/

Find The TechEd Podcast online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

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Manufacturing technology in 2022 is mind-blowing. Smart manufacturing, digital twins, artificial intelligence, fully autonomous systems, all kinds of high-tech hardware and software integrated together...and yet...there's still a very common misconception that manufacturing is dark, dirty and dangerous.

How do we change the face of advanced manufacturing and help parents and students see how amazing these careers are?

Industrial Entertainment.

Scott MacKenzie, host of Industrial Talk, is a manufacturing marketing guru who shares the secret to creating a positive buzz around manufacturing and Industry 4.0.

Industrial entertainment isn't just a great marketing tool to reach a next-gen workforce; it's also the way to reach new markets and customers. Find out all the details in this episode.

Also in this episode:

• How manufacturers can replicate the marketing strategies of ESPN to reach new markets
• How small-to-midsize manufacturers can make Industry 4.0 technology useful in their operations
• The keys to marketing industrial careers to today's high school students

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/industrial-entertainment/

Connect with Industrial Talk online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/organization/22295362/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/industrial_talk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndustrialTalk/

Find The TechEd Podcast online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

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How do we give all students a chance at the American Dream? How do we fill all the open skilled jobs in the workforce? The 1-2-7 Rule just might be the solution.

Leading districts are analyzing workforce data to help them understand where the career opportunities for their students are, and what skills and credentials are needed for those pathways. 

Dave Campbell, Superintendent of the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA) has utilized this data in his district to develop what he calls the 1-2-7 rule.  

What’s the 1-2-7 Rule? For every 1 job that requires a doctoral or graduate degree, there are 2 jobs that require a bachelors degree and 7 that require a marketable skill or credential. That's right...70% of careers need only an associates degree or industry-recognized credential! 

Dave Campbell is a great advocate for CTE, and in this episode, he helps us understand why we need to balance our K-12 curriculum to match the 1-2-7 model, and how CTE can get us there.

Also in this episode:

• "If you can see it, you can be it" - why modeling is so important for K-12 students
• Why leaders must listen, and who district administrators should be listening to
• What top-performing countries get right about CTE
• What would you do with a $100 million donation?

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/the-1-2-7-rule-for-career-readiness/

Find us online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

We want to hear from you! Send us a text.

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Host Matt Kirchner ran manufacturing companies for 23 years and has now been in the world of tech ed for 6 years. He's using his wealth of knowledge and experience leading companies for decades to predict what today's leaders and educators must pay attention to this coming year.

We're preparing to see some major disruptions in 2022, in education, in the workforce, in our economic models, and certainly in technology. We've compiled all this data into 15 predictions to help you as you strategically plan your year.

Listen, take notes, share this episode and let us know what you think!


In this episode:

• Opportunities coming to education in 2022 that won't last long - and how to take advantage of them now
• Education practices that will become obsolete - and what to do instead
• Emerging technologies employers must adopt to remain competitive
• Actionable ideas for how education can adopt these same emerging technologies
• The skills and credentials that will be of highest value in the future economy
• And much, much more!

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/15-predictions-for-2022/

Find us online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

We want to hear from you! Send us a text.

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Decades ago, great monolithic companies ruled manufacturing - these were the household names, the brands where everyone knew someone who worked there. Tim Sullivan led such companies - ones like Bucyrus, the REV Group and Gardner Denver.

In 2021, the manufacturing sector looks much different. While some of these great companies are still around, more and more production work has moved to small-to-midsize businesses and tier one suppliers. And the challenge is, these SMBs can't find the workers they need.

Today, Tim Sullivan chairs the Bucyrus Foundation, where he carries out the legacy of Bucyrus International by investing in the economic development and workforce of South Milwaukee.

Tim joined us in a fascinating discussion on this evolution of manufacturing and how it's impacting the workforce today.

In this episode:

• Why manufacturing operations and administration need to be headquartered together
• How the manufacturing sector has seen massive shifts in the last few decades
• The outlook of manufacturing in the U.S. in the next decade
• The challenge (and solution) of finding and training manufacturing employees today
• The Bucyrus Foundation's $10 million donation to the city of South Milwaukee
• Where we went wrong with our definition of the American Dream - and what it really means
• How to build data-driven partnerships between education and industry

Episode page:
https://techedpodcast.com/why-manufacturers-cant-find-workers/

Find us online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-teched-podcast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teched_podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTechEdPodcast

We want to hear from you! Send us a text.

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We know that Career & Technical Education is a great pathway for students to secure the skills they need for high-wage, high-demand careers. 

But Tech Ed is also a great path for our students to become entrepreneurs and run businesses of their own!

In this episode, we explore the role of free enterprise in  CTE with Governor Scott Walker, President of Young America's Foundation. In addition to our conversation on entrepreneurship, we pick Governor Walker's brain for insights he's gained from decades of leading government and public policy.

Listen to discover:

• Why Tech Ed may be a better path to entrepreneurship than a business degree
• What suburban districts are missing that rural and urban districts have figured out
• What government should be doing to support ongoing workplace training
• The 4 things studies show keep families out of poverty
• Tips for working with those of differing viewpoints, especially in today's highly-politicized world

To learn more about Young America's Foundation, visit www.yaf.org. 

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Flexible, nimble, entrepreneurial. These are three words that most of us wouldn't associate with our traditional college system.

But what if we restructured the way we approach higher education to make it more flexible for all learners, to adapt more nimbly to workforce needs, and to instill an entrepreneurial spirit in the way education does its business?

Tim Hood, President of Mid-Michigan College is an unconventional leader in his own right. His working-class upbringing and entrepreneurial background make him the perfect disruptor to traditional approaches to college education.

This episode is full of non-traditional ideas about how we should be doing college, like:

• Getting rid of the stigma that career and technical education is less important than academic programs
• Creating ultra-flexible pathways for adult learners to earn certificates and degrees
• Removing the polarization between business and education and instead embracing collaborative partnerships
• Making college all about experiential learning...and designing curriculum that's closely tied to the needs of industry that are hiring these individuals
• And when it comes to incumbent worker training, listening to the shop floor employees to see what they want/need to learn

Education is facing some major changes in the coming years, and leaders like Tim Hood who think outside the box are going to get us where we need to go.

We want to hear from you! Send us a text.

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Is it time we rethink the K-12 model? Our education system needs some major updates, including more flexibility, greater focus on student identity, and a college and career readiness plan that starts in kindergarten.

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Joe Gothard, Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, exploring these points and more in a discussion around career readiness.

Among a plethora of insights, Dr. Gothard shares his unconventional idea of the 12-Hour School Day. Could it really be a solution to providing students with more access to work-based learning, more flexibility in their coursework, and make it easier for them to work, be involved in after-school activities, and take classes that they're excited about?

Listen to find out!

If you missed our last episode with Dr. Gothard, we talked about building systemic equity into a large urban district that is primarily made up of minority students and families. You can listen here: https://techedpodcast.com/building-systemic-equity-in-urban-education/

We want to hear from you! Send us a text.

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