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2024 Conference

“Shaping the Future: Human Skills Amplified by Automation and AI”

hosted by

GTC logo

September 25–27, 2024

Welcome to the mobile program for the NCATC 2024 Conference. All the information you will need for an enjoyable conference experience is accessible from this page. Scroll down to see the daily schedule of events. Registration is still open. For more on the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, go here.

The focus areas of our organization are these four Strategic Pillars:

Pillar 1: Emerging Technologies
Future of Workforce: Industry 4.0/x.0, Advanced Technology, Smart Automation & Manufacturing
Pillar 2: Work-Based Learning
Apprenticeships, Internships, Coops, and Entrepreneurship in Workforce Development
Pillar 3: Industry-Aligned Skills Development
Competency-Based Learning and Industry-Recognized Credentials
Pillar 4: Lifelong Learning Environments
Access, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

TUESDAY

TUE 1:00–6:00 p.m.
Registration
Holly McAtee
Operations Manager, NCATC
TUE Noon–4:00 p.m.
NCATC Board Meeting (invitation only, Ontario Room)
TUE Noon–11:30 p.m.
Exhibitor Set-up
TUE 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Casual Meet & Greet (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)

WEDNESDAY: Collaboration and Inclusion in Advanced & Emerging Technologies

WED 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Registration
WED 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Breakfast & Exhibits Open
WED 7:30–8:00 a.m.
DEDICATED NETWORKING / Exhibitor Time
WED 7:30–8:00 a.m.
First-Time Attendees & New Members - Board Engagement
WED 8:00–8:15 a.m.

Welcome & Opening Remarks  VIEW

Dr. Ritu Raju
President, Gateway Technical College
WED 8:15–9:00 a.m.

Keynote K1 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Generative AI: Reshaping Work, Education, and Opportunity  VIEW

Rachel Wortman Morris, PhD
Microsoft
WED 9:20–10:00 a.m.

Thematic Session T1 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Integrating Real-World Competencies: Aligning Sinclair College's Digital Transformation Curriculum with the Ohio Manufacturing Competency Model  VIEW

Meridith Rodgers
Sinclair College

Peter Jensen
Lorain County CC

WED 9:20–10:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B1 (Huron A)
A Local Resource for Workforce Development: Demystifying Collaboration with Your MEP  VIEW

Hope Cotner
CORD

Evelyn Brown
NC State University

WED 9:20–10:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B2 (Huron B)
Best Practices for Recruitment in Registered Apprenticeship Programs  VIEW

Dorinda Byers
D Byers & Associates

Eddy Biehl
D Byers & Associates

WED 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Thematic Session T2 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Bridging the Divide: Are We Solving the Skills Gap Problem?  VIEW

Angela Andersson
KTEC

Elizabeth Generas
Sinclair CC

Charmaine Barden
Festo Corp

Karolyn Ellingson
Festo Didactic

WED 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B3 (Huron A)
In Our AI Era: Closing the Workforce Gap Through New Apprenticeship and Partnership Models  VIEW

Grant Matthews
Lane Community College

Gregg Sanders
Hennebery Eddy Architects

WED 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B4 (Huron B)
Using Science to Populate Students in Technology Programs  VIEW

Stephen Catt
Workforce K2Gray

Jan van der Hoop
FitFirst Technologies

WED 11:20 a.m.–Noon

Special Panel P1 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Student Voice: GLC & GTC ATC Students and Graduates  VIEW

Marc Goldberg
Skills Strategy Consulting

Katia Maya, College of Lake County

Blake Krauter, KTEC/GTC dual enrollment student

Cha Zong Yang, GTC grad now employed in industry

WED Noon–1:00 p.m.
Sponsor's Lunch / Pitches (Gold/Silver Sponsors 1: Intelitek, NCNGM, AIR, Amatrol, ATP, Festo, IACMI, MSSC, Nano-Dimension, SMC, Shop Floor Coffee, Tooling U-SME, zSpace, Zeiss)
WED 1:20–2:00 p.m.
Load Buses / Innovation Industry Tour Transport
WED 2:00–4:00 p.m.
INDUSTRY / INNOVATION TOURS (Attendees Select 1 of 4.)

Foxconn  VIEW

Good Foods  VIEW

Modine  VIEW

SC Johnson  VIEW

WED 4:00–4:30 p.m.
Load Buses / Transport Back to Hotel
WED 4:30–5:00 p.m.
Refresh Break
WED 5:00–5:15 p.m.
Load Buses / Social Networking Event Transport to SNAP-ON HQ
WED 5:30–7:50 p.m.
SOCIAL NETWORKING EVENT - SNAP-ON HQ
WED 7:50–8:30 p.m.
Load Buses / Transport Back to Hotel

THURSDAY: Perspectives in Advanced & Emerging Technologies

THU 7:30 a.m.–Noon
Registration
THU 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Exhibits Open
THU 7:30–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast & Networking with Sponsors & Exhibitors
THU 8:00–8:40 a.m.
Keynote K2 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Enhancing Enrollment and Impact with Uniquely Abled Programming  VIEW

Toni Neary
SME

Goldhmong Vang
Milwaukee Area Technical College

Kristin Underwood
South Central College
THU 8:45–9:00 a.m.
2024 Innovation Award / Special Session
THU 9:20–10:00 a.m.

Thematic Session T3 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Spotlight on Success: Building a Future-Ready Manufacturing Training Program to Support Economic Development  VIEW

David Curry
Laramie County CC

Graham Celine
lntelitek

THU 9:20–10:00 a.m.
Breakout Session B5 (Huron A)
Flexible and Realistic Career and Technical Education  VIEW

David Wooten
College of Lake County

Jason Everett
Amatrol

THU 9:20–10:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B6 (Huron B)
Preparing the Future Advanced Manufacturing Workforce: Initiatives & Resources for Educators & Students  VIEW

Karen Wosczyna-Birch
NCNGM

Tim Baber
College of the Canyons

THU 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Thematic Session T4 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Rapid Industry 4.0 Upskilling with Rockwell Automation’s Academy of Advanced Manufacturing  VIEW

Phil Bush
Rockwell Automation

Jason Everett
Amatrol

THU 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B7 (Huron A)
Bridging Education and Workforce Through Systems-Thinking and AI  VIEW

Ryan Nichols
Sinclair College
THU 10:20–11:00 a.m.

Breakout Session B8 (Huron B)
Empowering Future Manufacturers: Leveraging AR/VR for Advanced Training and Certification  VIEW

Nikki Lester
zSpace
THU 11:20 a.m.–Noon
Keynote K3 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Industry-Wide, Dynamic Robotics Standards and Certification: Vendor Agnostic Credentials Designed to Adapt as Industry and Roles Change  VIEW

Montez King
NIMS

Stephanie Kobayashi
Universal Robots

Tony Oran
lntelitek
THU Noon–12:20 p.m.
Lunch / NCATC Annual Business Meeting & NEW Board Directors
THU 12:30–1:15 p.m.

Lunch Panel P2 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
The State of Quantum Computing in the USA  VIEW

Richard Ammon
Moderator, College of Lake County

Ruchi Pendse
IBM

Emily Easton
Chicago Quantum Exchange

Ben Hall
Infleqtion

THU 1:30–2:00 p.m.
Load Buses / Tour GTC ATC - iMET Center Transport
THU 2:00–4:30 p.m.
GTC ATC iMET Center - Immersive Sessions with Strategic Partners & Tour
THU 4:30–5:00 p.m.
GTC Tour Transport Back to Hotel
THU 5:00–5:30 p.m.
Strategic Partners Leadership Meeting (invitation only, Ontario Room)
THU 5:30–7:30 p.m.
NETWORKING Exhibitor Time
THU 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Exhibitors, Sponsors & Attendees Reception: Networking, Food, Drinks, Awards, Raffle Drawing, and Fun

FRIDAY: Recruiting CTE Faculty in Advanced & Emerging Technologies

FRI 7:30–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast & Networking
FRI 8:00–8:45 a.m.
NCATC ED Interview, Craig McAtee / Matt Kirschner, Tech Ed Podcast

Craig McAtee
NCATC

Matt Kirschner
Tech Ed Podcast

FRI 9:00–9:45 a.m.
Keynote K4 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Robots, Automation and AI: Where Are We Today and Where Are We Going Tomorrow?  VIEW

Scott Lucas
WSU Tech

Paul Aiello
FANUC

David Aguirre
GTC

Eric Sherrill
SMC/Toolkit

FRI 10:00–10:45 a.m.

Thematic Session T5 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
The Economic Development Role of Community Colleges: Motivations and Results with Gateway Technical College  VIEW

Allison Forbes
CREC

Matt Janisin
Gateway Technical College

FRI 11:00–11:45 a.m.
Thematic Session T6 (Lake Michigan Grand Ballroom)
Future-Proofing Workforce Skills: Tech Apprenticeship Programs for Today and Tomorrow  VIEW

Joe Thiry
AIR

Megan Scott
AIR

FRI 11:45–11:55 a.m.
Box Lunches / Networking / Closing Remarks