The TechEd Podcast

In this episode, we're talking with Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin's 31st adjutant general and the commander of the Wisconsin National Guard. Our National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are in a unique position, playing the dual role of civilian employee and military service member.  Maj. Gen. Knapp is committed to ensuring Wisconsin's Guardmembers have the support to lead a fulfilling work-home life while proudly serving their community.

We get to hear about Maj. Gen. Knapp's experience leading the Wisconsin National Guard through the COVID pandemic, the 2020 Presidential inauguration, and the 2021 NBA National Championships in Milwaukee.

We learn about some of the challenges Guardmembers face in the civilian workforce and how employers can hire and support these individuals.

We get a sneak preview of the Operation Next project, an initiative between the National Guard and Western Technical College to provide skills-based training and certifications in STEM fields for Guardmembers and their families.

And we talk about why military service is a great career pathway for graduating students, especially those interested in STEM fields.

Visit the Wisconsin National Guard website: https://ng.wi.gov

For more on the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, visit: https://dma.wi.gov/DMA/

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Self-docking boats, electric outboard motors, IoT-enabled boater safety wearables...this is the future of marine technology, and it's all being developed at Mercury Marine.

In this episode, we're talking with Chris Drees, President of Mercury Marine. The organization is leading the world in marine engine technology, not just on the product design side, but also in their innovative manufacturing processes. 

Learn about how the internet of things (IoT) and advanced manufacturing are disrupting the marine industry as we discuss:

• Advancements in electric outboard engines
• Hardware & wearables that enhance boater safety and engine data analytics
• How to use data at every step of the manufacturing process
• The role of renewable energy in manufacturing of the future
• The benefit of being vertically integrated
• Soft skills engineers need to work in an Industry 4.0 environment

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Our goal at the TechEd Podcast is to help bridge the gap between education and industry - to help these entities speak a common language, understand each other's needs and build collaborative partnerships.

In part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College, we're talking all things workforce development. We tap into Dr. Pink's extensive knowledge and experience working on the industrial workforce training side of community colleges to help you understand what employers need, and how education can quickly respond and meet those needs.

In this episode, we tackle some common workforce training topics, like

• Michigan's 60 by 30 goal and the roles education and industry each play in achieving it
• Stackable credentials and why they're so valuable
• The one big mistake colleges make that turns away employers from working with them
• Cross-sector competition for talent and how companies can attract students
• How to make education more flexible for workforce training needs
• What GRCC is doing this fall to bridge the education-industry gap

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The United States’ nearly 1,000 technical and community colleges have been providing skills-based, career-focused training to communities for over 100 years. It's imperative that higher ed pays attention to the needs of industry in order to fulfill this purpose.

What happens when those needs take a massive shift in a short amount of time?

The way we live, work and learn have all changed in the last two years. Some of these changes are due to technological advancement, and some are due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We've seen entire sectors slowing/shutting down and then reopening, individuals displaced and seeking skills in totally new industries, education transitioning online, a mass transition to remote work, and more technology-driven work than ever before.

How must community colleges adapt to these changes? 

We asked Dr. Bill Pink, President of Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan to talk on the future of work and the vital role technical and community colleges play. In part 1 of a two-part series, we discuss the two keys every community college must have in order to serve their region.

In this episode, Dr. Pink answers key questions, like:

• Why do relevance and responsiveness matter in higher ed?
• When it comes to determining curriculum, skills and competencies to teach, what's one huge mistakes many colleges still make?
• How did GRCC manage to have a higher summer enrollment than even pre-pandemic numbers?
• What should colleges do to promote better mental and physical health for students?
• Career ladder or career lattice: What do career pathways look like for today's students?
• What role do community colleges play in times of transition - from military to private sector, from high school to adulthood, etc?

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) is like a freight train coming rapidly down the tracks. While some employers and educators have seen it coming and are preparing their workforce, operations and students...there's a whole group of people who are about to miss the train altogether. 

In this episode, Matt Kirchner helps us understand exactly what Industry 4.0 is, the incredible opportunities smart manufacturing brings to businesses, and the consequences of not embracing this revolution.

Are you part of the group who's missing the Industry 4.0 train?

This episode will help you answer that. And if you are in that group - don't worry - Matt also offers actionable steps you can take today to get back on track with Industry 4.0.

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

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Dr. Annette Parker is a name known nationwide in higher education. She has a unique career pathway and has used her experience to lead several states through innovative academic transformations. 

Today, Dr. Parker serves as President of South Central College in Minnesota and sits on numerous national academic boards, and in these roles she continues to lead technical education into a bright future.

Educators will be inspired by Dr. Parker's humility, wisdom and insights in this episode, where we cover:

• How an community college drafting student became a national leader in higher education
• The 2 things students should remember as they consider their career pathway
• How Industry 4.0 has changed automotive manufacturing
• What "accessible" education really means, and where higher ed needs to improve
• Why Dr. Parker testified before Congress on the power of private-public partnerships
• The potential impact of dual-credit for students and schools

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Cummins is a global giant in power generation. Their focus on R&D has produced some of the world's most innovative solutions in industries like automotive, rail, marine, mining, construction and agriculture.

To design and create the most high-tech products, Cummins has embraced Industry 4.0 in its manufacturing and supply chain operations, deploying technologies like collaborative robots, 3D printing and next-gen additive manufacturing, augmented and virtual reality, and advanced data analytics.

In this episode, we're talking about all these technologies with Peter Anderson, the Vice President of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at Cummins. Peter's insights will help you better understand the rapid pace of innovation taking place in manufacturing today, and what our workforce and students need to know for Industry 4.0-era careers.

Some of the key topics we discuss include:

• Electrification and the future of sustainable engine power
• The power of telematics and data in transportation
• Cutting-edge additive manufacturing technologies being used by Cummins today
• Why collaborative robots actually create more and better jobs
• What's changing in supply chain degrees - and why we're on the right path
• How to use data to optimize the supply chain

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Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) is on a mission to make Wisconsin the best place in the nation to do business. 

The state's largest business association was recognized as the State Chamber of the Year in 2020 by the Council of State Chambers (COSC), primarily for its innovative efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In this episode, we talk with WMC's President and CEO Kurt Bauer about the organization's efforts to solve Wisconsin's economic challenges. These efforts include bolstering manufacturing, developing a skilled workforce, and training and retaining talent within the state.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• How to bridge the gap between unemployed individuals and employers who are desperate for workers
• The upskilling that needs to be done to make employers Industry 4.0-ready
• Changing the negative stigma of manufacturing for parents and students
• The vital role of Academic and Career Planning (ACP) for our students
• How to get employers & educators on the same page
• Research and innovation taking place in Wisconsin

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The KOHLER brand is recognized worldwide for everything from kitchen and bath appliances to generators and hospitality. But they're also known for their social impact initiatives, which seek to improve the lives of their associates, community members and individuals across the globe.

In this episode,  Laura Kohler, the company's Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Stewardship and Sustainability, shows us the impact a global brand can have  in creating a better world in which to work and live.

In an engaging conversation, we learn about:

• How art and manufacturing converge in KOHLER's facilities
• The Believing in Better initiative for stewardship and sustainability
• Why gender and ethnic representation in leadership is so crucial
• How a diverse workforce accelerates innovation
• The importance of STEM/STEAM education and why public education is the key to bright futures for our students

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The University of Wisconsin-Stout prioritizes applied learning, career-focused education and collaboration, leading to a 97%+ placement rate for its students!

The model of a polytechnic university is truly unique and is perhaps the best way to prepare our students for today's highly skilled careers. In this episode, we're talking with UW-Stout's Chancellor Dr. Katherine Frank and Interim Provost Glendali Rodriguez to learn what drives the university's initiatives and what makes them so successful. 

STEM and technical educators will gain great insights from this episode, covering topics like:

• The advantage a polytechnic education has for a student's career pathway
• How to solve the tech ed teacher shortage
• How to develop incredible partnerships with employers
• The keys to strong collaboration with other academic institutions
• The value of experiential and applied learning

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

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