Discovery World isn't just a science museum. It's an iconic Milwaukee destination that inspires generations of learners to discover the wonders of science through hands-on STEM experiences. Through their exhibits, camps, community programs and curriculum offerings, Discovery World is making a major impact on learners and families all across the Milwaukee region, reaching underserved populations and creating extra opportunities for STEM experiences beyond what the classroom can provide.

In this episode, we're talking with CEO Bryan Wunar about the mission of Discovery World and the impact the organization has across the community.

The lessons, insights and initiatives Bryan shares can be replicated across the country:

• Why hands-on, experiential learning can help learners envision new possibilities for their future
• The challenges of accessing quality STEM opportunities for many families in a community like Milwaukee
• The challenges of urban education and how organizations can work together to supplement classroom experiences
• How to give science and STEM teachers in underserved communities access to resources and curriculum to best serve their students
• Why learning has to continue into the home - and how to help families engage in STEM experiences

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Learn more about Discovery World: discoveryworld.org

More from Discovery World!

• Summer Camps
• Educator Professional Development
• School Access Support (reduced admission rates and transportation reimbursement)
• Field Trip Groups
• At-home Educational Resources

Connect with Discovery World:

YouTube |  LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook  |  TikTok

Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/wunar/

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With the pace of change in this new world of work, companies need to start rethinking outdated approaches to continuing education benefits and employee upskilling programs.

Traditional benefits like tuition reimbursement and assistance just won't cut it. InStride is disrupting that model. Their unique approach to lifelong learning is helping companies see:

• 226% ROI over three years for every dollar invested
• 92% annual retention (vs. 63% of employees that don't participate)
• 3x promotion rate for participating employees

InStride's approach empowers companies to provide career-aligned, debt-free education to their employees. It's not just about earning a degree; it's about helping employees see the trajectory their career could take, then giving them the educational tools to move toward that end goal.

In this episode, hear about why this unique approach to lifelong learning can attract better talent, create stickier employees, and help individuals reach their career potential.

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. This new model solves 3 fundamental challenges to continuing education: 1) Access to affordable post-secondary education for learners (the huge college debt problem); 2) External L&D and tuition reimbursement isn't delivering the exact skills companies need for their specific processes; 3) There's an underdeveloped market for working adults that companies and universities can take advantage of.
2. Want stickier employees? Give them a vision for where their career could go, then equip them with the education to get there: Don't just give employees skills for their current or next job. Give them a picture of what their career trajectory could be with your company. Seeing the pathway laid out for them, and knowing the education is accessible, will build a loyal and dedicated workforce.
3. Magna and Piston Group have seen great success with this new model: Hear how Magna and Piston Group are leveraging InStride's platform for their employees, seeing reduced attrition rates and even looking to expand their programs.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Learn more about InStride: www.instride.com

Connect with InStride:

YouTube |  LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/instride/

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If we want to fill all the skilled positions our workforce has open, it's going to take aligning business needs with educational programs at all levels.

With experience at the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Casey Sacks has seen best practices in creating this kind of alignment. In her current role as President of BridgeValley Community and Technical College, she emphasizes the need for collaboration between colleges, employers, and K-12 schools to ensure that students are aware of and prepared for the opportunities available in technical fields.

In this episode, discover what true career pathways look like:

• Getting employers involved in technical programs - from hiring current students to teaching in the classroom (Aspiring Nurse Program and WV FAME)
• Offering dual-credit opportunities for high school students to get a head start on college (Win Academy)
• Bringing real career exposure down to the middle school level
• Having the courage to close programs that don't tie back to high-wage, high-demand careers

Quotable Moments:
"The elevator speech for an advanced manufacturing technician is a lot longer than the elevator speech for a nurse."

Advice to her 15-year-old self: "Just keep saying yes to things."

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about BridgeValley Community & Technical College
• The Win Academy at BridgeValley - Offering nursing (and soon manufacturing) programs to high school students
• West Virginia FAME - Creating a pipeline of skilled talent for manufacturing

Connect with BridgeValley Community & Technical College:
Facebook  |  LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/sacks/

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What if we valued skills and competencies more than degrees? As President of Bismarck State College, Dr. Jensen sees education as an economic investment, where the skills a student has upon graduation are far more important than degrees and certifications.

A competency-first approach to higher education requires disrupting the traditional model. In this episode, we talk about the components that drive competency-based education, including:

• How to incorporate credit for prior learning
• Giving industry partners the freedom to help create and deploy new programs
• Becoming a polytechnic institution that integrates technology with career-readiness
• How BILT teams go far beyond the traditional industry advisory board
• Why education is an economic investment, not a public expense

Quotable Moments:
"A college like Bismarck State is someplace where you will go, where people will believe in you before you're capable of believing in yourself."

"Education is empowering. If you really want to look at preparing somebody for life, you need to empower them. It's not just about degrees, it's about skills, competencies, and knowledges."

"A polytechnic institution starts to train individuals with hands-on real experience, working side-by-side with industry leaders in large flex spaces on projects that they will face in the real world."

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Employers are more interested in the skills and competencies of an individual than their degree: In today's skilled workforce, employers are less interested in "what's your degree in?" and more interested in "what skills do you have that can be put to work to benefit our organization?". The distinction is an important one for higher education. As you look to the future of your programs, consider how a competency-based education model will benefit your graduates and industry partners alike.
2. BILT (Business and Industry Leadership Teams) bring real-world industry challenges to the classroom: BILT teams go beyond the advisory board. Learn about how industrial companies are bringing their challenges to the college, who then helps bring together the best cross-functional teams to devise a solution to that challenge.
3. Education is an economic investment, not a public expense: Dr. Jensen has a unique perspective on the role of education in driving local economies forward. Hear about BSC's unit cost model, their approach to the ROI of programs, and how they've improved that ROI over the last few years.

Resources:

• Bismarck State College: North Dakota's Polytechnic Institute
• Read about the college's new polytechnic building expansion
• Business and Industry Leadership Teams (BILT)

Connect with BSC:

Facebook  |  LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  You

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While colleges across the U.S. are worried about declining enrollment, Lake Area Technical College in South Dakota is expanding.

President Tiffany Sanderson sees the value in building a vision so big, so bold that other organizations can't help but want to get involved. And in a state like South Dakota that is seeing faster than average population growth, now is the time for expansion!

In this episode, you'll discover how expanding an organization can energize the staff, customers, students and community partners. You'll learn what it takes to build enthusiasm around expansion projects, measure the right metrics, and attract key stakeholders to join the movement.

Quotable Moments:
"The number one way to get everybody excited about the future is to expand the organization."

"My gift and my passion is about helping to grow people to do their very best work in the world."

"There are tons of opportunities and not enough bodies to fill all those spots in the workforce."

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Population expansion in a region is both a challenge and an opportunity for the workforce: There is a mismatch in our world between the skills employers need (now and in the future) and the skills people currently have. In a growing population, this gap can become exacerbated without the educational support to align skills with workforce demand. Expansion necessitates an intentional plan to develop the workforce to sustain that growth.
2. How do you measure success? Enrollment vs Graduation rates in education: Most colleges use enrollment rates as their measurement for success. Tiffany Sanderson sees it differently: the college measures success in terms of graduation rates. That makes a lot of sense in a world where the workforce doesn't benefit unless it's getting a stream of graduates with competent skills. Over the next 7 years, Lake Area Tech's goal is to increase graduate production by 20+%. That's the kind of metric that will get partners on board with an expansion project.
3. Want to build excitement around your vision? Share stories: Strategic goals, impact studies, and data are fine...but nothing gets people fired up like personal success stories. Tiffany shares her secrets to getting industry partners, community partners and faculty on board with an expansion project, and a key part of that is sharing the stories of students being impacted by the college. Let the students share their perspective, and others will want to get involved.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Visit Lake Area Technical College's website
• See all the expansions taking place at Lake Area Tech
• Learn more about the Build Dakota Scholarship

Connect with Lake Area Tech:
Facebook  |  LinkedIn  |  Instagram  |  YouTube

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Are you a budding entrepreneur with a great business idea? Have you always wanted to start a company in the tech space, but don't know where to start?

Get great advice on launching your own tech company as you listen to our conversation with Amber Busuttil Mullen, partner at Bowen Tax Law. Amber has spent her career helping executives in their businesses and knows that tech is everywhere! From cosmetics to fabrics, ice cream to athletics, there's an application for every technology idea.

So if you'd like to learn how to be a successful entrepreneur, listen to this episode to discover:

• What qualities make entrepreneurs successful in their business ventures
• How to build a product that people will buy
• The two things to do when first starting a company (creating an entity + opening a bank account) and how to do them
• Finding funding - from friends & family, angel investors, incubator programs and venture capital
• Understanding stock and stock options
• How to sell your company!

Get ready to take notes, because this episode is packed with actionable ideas!

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. You CAN do it! Have the courage to get started and resilience to keep going: Believe it or not, you don't have to have the next "it" technology to start a company. With the right product and business plan, you CAN be a successful entrepreneur! Amber breaks down the first steps you need to take to make your business a reality into simple, actionable tasks you can get started on today.
2. There are tons of options to fund your startup - learn about the most popular options and what's right for you: You don't necessarily need to fund your startup alone. From friends & family, to teachers and mentors, angel investors, incubator programs and venture capital, there are a number of funding options you can choose from. Amber helps us understand each option in detail and will give you an idea of what the right path might be for your business.
3. Start with the end in mind - selling your company: If you've got a great business idea - your goal should be to start, scale and eventually sell that business. Learn about what you'll need to implement in your business at the beginning to make selling the business easier later on. You'll also learn about stock and stock options and how these can attract new team members, scale the business and enable you to sell when the time is right.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Learn more about Bowen Tax Law: https://www.bowentaxlaw.com/

Connect with Amber
LinkedIn

View episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/amber/

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Funding, filling programs, and finding partners in industry - these are three challenges facing technical colleges across the country. And a great solution to all these challenges: industry-sponsored programs.

North Dakota State College of Science has an incredible Diesel Technology program that partners with the biggest brands in agricultural equipment like John Deere, Case, Komatsu and Caterpillar to offer hands-on, career-relevant learning on the latest equipment being used in the workforce today. Through this program, students are sponsored by a dealer to work through the courses on brand-specific equipment, ensuring a pipeline of skilled talent that's experienced on the right technology for those dealerships.

In this episode, we sat down with NDSCS president Dr. Rod Flanigan to dive into this program and how successful it's been.

Discover the power of industry partnerships in building a technical program that benefits the college, learners and employers alike, and get advice for how to launch a similar program in your own institution!

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Industry-sponsored programs benefit students with career-relevant skills and experiences:The industry-sponsored diesel program benefits students by providing them with valuable hands-on experience, access to state-of-the-art equipment, and opportunities for professional development through internships and sponsorships, ultimately preparing them for successful careers in the field. They get access to the same equipment from the biggest brands they'll encounter in the workforce, and they get assistance from their sponsor while going through their education.
2. Industry-sponsored programs benefit the college with funding, filling programs, and finding friends in industry: With these strong partnerships with industry, colleges can get access to the latest equipment, a pipeline of dedicated students, and the added benefit of having a reputation for career-relevant programming.
3. Industry-sponsored programs benefit employers with a pipeline of skilled workers: When a student is required to be sponsored by a company in order to be admitted into a program, and when they're supported through the program financially and otherwise by that company, and when they're confident in finding employment upon completion of that program, there's a fostering of brand loyalty that just can't be beat. These companies will benefit by having a pipeline of skilled technicians who learned on their specific equipment and are work-ready to add value to the organization.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about NDSCS's Diesel Technology Program
• Learn more about North Dakota State College of Science

Connect with NDSCS
Facebook | LinkedIn  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  YouTube

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Peter Rathmann is an advocate for neurodiversity in the manufacturing workforce. As CEO of Allis Manufacturing, he's built a culture that gives these individuals the tools for a successful career. As a father, he's seen his own daughter Emma, who has Asperger's Syndrome, find passion in a manufacturing job.

Now, Peter joins us on the podcast to shed light on the great value these individuals can bring to the manufacturing workforce.

If you're a manufacturer who can't find people to fill your open positions, you'll learn about a whole segment of our population that could be a perfect match for your company. 

If you're a parent or educator, you'll learn all about the career opportunities in manufacturing for neurodiverse individuals, and why this industry has an environment that could be a great match for them.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What is neurodiversity? Understanding a term that covers a wide spectrum
• The misconceptions of autism and what you should know about it
• Why neurodiverse individuals may be perfectly wired for manufacturing jobs
• How to build a work culture and environment that sets these individuals up for success
• Advice for educators to help raise awareness and pathways into manufacturing careers

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Neurodiverse individuals can bring unique strengths to the workplace: The characteristics manufacturing leaders say they want from their workforce (showing up every day, timeliness, paying attention to their work, efficiency, accuracy) are the same qualities that those with autism can bring to the table. Peter shares the success stories of his own neurodiverse daughter and employees and how their unique approach to the world makes them excellent manufacturing employees.
2. Manufacturers must build a supportive work environment that values neurodiversity and creates space for growth and autonomy: There are certainly challenges to hiring neurodiverse individuals, and Peter shares insights into how to build a work environment that enables these people to succeed at their role. He also shares how to create support and awareness for the rest of your workforce and management to lead and work alongside these individuals.
3. There are training programs and support organizations dedicated to helping neurodiverse individuals get the skills they need to work in manufacturing: Hear about The Uniquely Abled Project and the Uniquely Abled Academy at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), which is currently helping those with autism learn to become machinists. Listen to hear about a number of other organizations that provide services to neurodiverse individuals and their families, as well as employers, that help bring more people into successful employment.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• To learn more about Allis Manufacturing, visit their website
• The Uniquely Abled Project
• Uniquely Abled Academy at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)
• Think Ability Wisconsin

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What if your company had a digital library of every single drawing, from the newest designs to 100-year-old hand-drawn copies for parts still in use? What if this digital file system was powered by artificial intelligence and could read not just the text on each drawing, but could actually understand all the data (material types, revisions, even identify similar drawings)?

That's exactly what Yushiro Kato and the team at CADDi have done with their groundbreaking software.

This AI-enabled platform revolutionizes how manufacturing drawings are managed and accessed, offering a centralized, format-agnostic solution with advanced image-analysis algorithms, significantly reducing procurement costs for manufacturers.

In this episode, you'll hear about the technology that's revolutionizing procurement in manufacturing, with special insights around the importance of digitizing institutional knowledge.

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Digitization isn't just about storing data, it's about leveraging data:  Even if you were to digitize every drawing and centralize the storage location, it would still take procurement specialists hours to find the right drawings and the correct revision, and would require knowing the drawing ID. Digitizing assets is more than storing data in digital files. It's about being able to leverage that data to optimize processes. That's why CADDi's technology is truly an Industry 4.0 tool. Learn about the difference between storing and leveraging data, and consider how the latter could impact your organization.
2. CADDi Manufacturing enables companies to source the best supplier for their parts: The application of this AI-enabled technology extends beyond your own company. Hear how CADDi has leveraged their own AI platform to build a network of OEMs and suppliers, connecting companies with the part-maker who can manufacture the part they need at the best possible price.
3. Digitization can turn individual knowledge into company assets: Every manufacturer has employees that have been there for decades, knows every process, every part. What happens when they exit the workforce and take all that wisdom with them? Digitization can help capture the knowledge of these individuals and save it in a way that can be used by future generations of the workforce for years to come.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• To learn more about CADDi Drawer, visit their website
• Discover more insights on CADDi's blog

Connect with CADDi:
YouTube | LinkedIn  |  Connect with Yushiro on LinkedIn

View more on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/caddi/

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What does the future of disease research look like? How can artificial intelligence help researchers make new discoveries faster? How can medical professionals synthesize the vast amounts of patient data to offer the best, most personalized care possible

These are some of the questions we explore with Dr. Julie Panepinto, who leads the National Institutes of Health's Division of Blood Diseases and Resources

In this episode, we dive deep in to the Science part of STEM to learn about the latest advances in medical research, how data analytics and AI are accelerating these efforts, and how education can inspire the next generation of medical researchers

Hear all about:

• What scientists around the country are researching in the areas of blood diseases
• Why medicine must maximize quantitative and qualitative data together to best serve patients
• How AI will impact clinician's ability to detect and diagnose - especially in medical imaging
• Predictive risk modeling and the future of precision healthcare
• The human aspect of medicine, the importance of face-to-face care, and how data can help doctors develop more customized treatment plans for each individual

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. Medical research needs quantitative and qualitative data to produce the best results: The healthcare industry has billions of quantitative datasets from millions of patients. Additionally, patient reported outcomes help turn qualitative information about the patient's personal experience into quantitative data. When healthcare providers have access to both quantitative and qualitative data, they can create personalized treatment plans for each individual, a practice called precision healthcare.
2. Data analytics and artificial intelligence enable predictive risk modeling in medical research: All the data just mentioned can be used in predicting and preventing diseases in individuals based on their unique risk factors. Listen as we discuss the generation of algorithms for predictive healthcare, genomic and curative treatments, and why the quality and structure of the data matters when training AI models.
3. The future of healthcare will be data-driven, but it will never lose the human factor: Expect tele-health visits, chatbots, AI helping clinicians detect and diagnose individuals, and automated health plans based on data-driven models. But also know that the face-to-face connection will always remain a key factor to healthcare; for nothing can replace the doctor-patient relationship.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• To learn more about Dr. Panepinto, visit her page
• Learn more about the research being done by the NIH Division of Blood Diseases and Resources

Connect with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:
Facebook |  YouTube | LinkedIn  |  X

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