The TechEd Podcast

The Fender brand is synonymous with all things rock n' roll. But what does it actually take to build a Fender guitar? In a fascinating discussion with Ed Magee, Executive Vice President of Operations at Fender, we talk about how the worlds of music and manufacturing collide in more ways than meets the eye.

And Ed's role goes beyond the manufacturing process. He's a strong advocate for building our STEM and technical trades workforce, for training and employing veterans, and for increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the manufacturing workforce. Perhaps most of all, he's committed to providing hands-on music education to students through his work as Co-President of the Fender Play Foundation.

Music, technology and education enthusiasts alike will love this episode, where we talk about:

• Where creativity comes into play for both manufacturing and music
• How building a guitar is such a unique process in the world of manufacturing
• Combining IIoT and advanced technologies with the art of master crafting wood guitars
• Watching artists like the Rolling Stones interact with Fender's master builders
• The goal to reach 1 million students nationwide through the Fender Play Foundation by 2030

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In part two of our series with Chancellor Mark Mone and Provost Johannes Britz of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, we're talking all about research. UWM is one of the few universities in the nation with the R1 distinction - the highest level designation for research activity a university can attain. 

In this episode, we talk about what it takes to maintain this distinction and some of the research projects being carried out at UWM that are serving the region. You'll learn about:

• Partnering with other institutions on research projects
• IIoT, smart manufacturing and the Connected Systems Institute
• How the Maggi Sue will enable more research on Lake Michigan than ever before
• The importance of technology and connectivity
• Why organizations like Rockwell, Dell, Cisco and WE Energies have backed UWM's research

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How can education meet the needs of diverse student populations, particularly those in urban regions? In this two-part series, we're joined by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone and Provost Johannes Britz to look at how universities can face the socio-economic challenges of their communities while providing top-tier academic experiences to students.

In this first episode, we focus on the challenge of leading a university in the most diverse, and also most segregated, city in the state. UWM's leadership has launched incredible initiatives to serve all its students, its community and its extensive alumni base in Milwaukee.

• How UWM has made Milwaukee a great place to learn, work and live
• Why mental toughness matters in higher education
• What it means to be a university for the community and from the community
• What UWM is doing to promote diversity, equity and inclusion
• What we can learn from higher education in other countries and cultures
• Facing the COVID challenge on an urban campus

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Digitization, Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things...no matter what you call it, our current era is seeing more disruption across every economic sector than ever before, changing the way we produce,  deliver and consume goods. Financial services are no exception.

BMO Financial Group has been on the forefront of digital banking for decades, but the last year has prompted exponential innovation in products, services, customer relationships, and even how their employees work.

During the pandemic, the organization used technology to shift the way customers' needs were met, all while remaining true to BMO's core mission. During this episode, BMO U.S. Chief Executive David Casper and Head of North American Treasury & Payment Solutions Brett Pitts provide insights into this new world of digital finance. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• How BMO shifted their workforce and services online during a pandemic year
• Where BMO's corporate customers are investing in digitization
• How to leverage AI and data to make better business decisions
• What banking will look like in 2031
• How schools should prepare students for careers of tomorrow
• Career opportunities in financial services that exist thanks to digitization

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Technical and community colleges are vital to our economic prosperity. They provide skills-based training for students to enter high-demand careers, a pipeline of talent to our businesses, and a resource for reskilling our workforce.

As President of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), Dr. Morna Foy is on a mission to optimize the impact of technical colleges in the state. While each college independently serves the unique needs of its region, the WTCS brings them all together with a focused vision: to strengthen Wisconsin's economy.

How does the WTCS accomplish this? We dive into those details in this episode, where you'll learn about:

• Why mission-driven strategies are the best way to create alignment
• How the state is using dual credit and credit transfer to provide more options to students
• How Wisconsin is leading the nation in registered and youth apprenticeships
• Why industry-recognized certifications are going to be a major factor for education in the coming years
• What economic sectors are seeing the most disruption in 2021
• How to align technical college programs to workforce needs

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Rockwell Automation is a global leader in industrial automation, smart manufacturing and the development of technologies that are revolutionizing the world of work. Leading the organization as Chairman and CEO is Blake Moret, our guest for this episode of the podcast. 

In its 118-year history, Rockwell has made itself a household name - not just because they're always on the forefront of technological innovation, but also because they've developed a culture and workforce that values its people.

In this episode, Blake discusses both the technology and the human aspects of Rockwell Automation. You'll hear all about:

• How digitization will impact manufacturing in the coming years
• Cutting edge technologies you should keep an eye on
• Career opportunities of the future brought about by Industry 4.0 in fields like data science, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence
• Rockwell's support of the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA)
• Efforts to upskill the workforce for advanced manufacturing careers
• The one thing he'd change for education

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"The upskilling of the American workforce is the seminal issue of our time." This key point is delivered time and again by Mr. Nick Pinchuk, Chairman and CEO of Snap-on, our guest for this episode of The TechEd Podcast. 

Nick's message is so important for manufacturers and technical educators alike: skilled workers are the heroes of our time, and our tech ed students will be the heroes of tomorrow.

In this episode, you'll hear inspiring and motivating thoughts on topics like:

• How skilled workers were the heroes of the pandemic, keeping everything running so we could remain safe
• The wrong way to talk about manufacturing work (and what to understand instead)
• What the American Dream really is and why manufacturing gets us there
• The jobs of today vs. the jobs of tomorrow
• How to change the perception of Tech Ed as the "consolation prize"
• What educators must prepare for as they plan for the future

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Dr. Bryan Albrecht is a name known worldwide in technical education. He leads one of the top technical colleges in the country as its President and CEO. Under his leadership, Gateway Technical College has been called a model school, an innovator, and a leadership college. 

Gateway is unparalleled in so many ways - its strength of strategic partnerships with regional employers and educators, its incredible foundation and support of students, and especially the way it continually creates and evolves its programs to meet the needs of the workforce.

In this episode, we're getting an inside look into how Bryan does it all. We're asking the questions you've always wanted the answers to, like:

• How did you know Industry 4.0 was "the next big thing" before anyone else?
• Why do you believe Foxconn's future in Wisconsin is a bright one?
• What is the biggest threat to the future success of technical education?
• Would you ever serve your state or nation in a government role?
• How does someone with your level of success find work-life balance?
• and many, many more!

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"Kids and grownups love it so...the happy world of HARIBO!" We're all familiar with the famous goldbears from HARIBO, a 100-year-old company that prides itself on crafting every gummy with quality and joy.

Wes Saber, Executive Vice President and CFO of HARIBO of America, shares how the company is living out this people-centered mission in its first-ever North American facility. The company has invested incredible resources into the community, school districts, higher education and nonprofit organizations...even before they broke ground in December 2020!

In this episode, Wes tells us why they've made this investment. It's great information every manufacturer can benefit from. You'll hear insights about:

• What attracted HARIBO to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
• How manufacturers can be proactive in marketing their advanced manufacturing career opportunities with regional schools
• The gold standard for investing back into a community
• Engaging every type of learner - from K-12, to adult learners, to veterans
• The types of advanced manufacturing and distribution technology in their German facility, and what we might see in North America

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Precision Plus is no stranger to the skilled labor shortage that manufacturers all over the US are facing. While technical education is working hard to train students with the right knowledge and skills for these careers, there's more work that needs to be done. 

"It's time to step up," notes Mike Reader, President of Precision Plus, our guest in this episode of The TechEd Podcast. Mike also considers himself a Chief Problem Solver & Workforce Development Advocate, as evidenced by his organization's work to bring education and manufacturing together to solve the skills gap. 

Years ago, Precision Plus took ownership of their ability to engage with education and build a pipeline of talent in the region. Mike shares his experiences in this endeavor, including:

• How to attract talent with clean, high-tech, advanced facilities using the latest in Swiss machining technology
• Communicating to educators exactly what hard skills students will need as automation increases in manufacturing
• The strategy behind hiring a Director of Education for his own employees
• Why industry should invest in their region's technical and community colleges
• How to engage as a company with local parents and students, even as young as middle school
• Why it's critical for universities to provide experiential and work-based learning opportunities to their students

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