More high-tech jobs for NW Florida? This additive manufacturing (3D printing) workshop helped
PANAMA CITY —The Applied Science & Technology Research Organization (ASTRO America) co-hosted a two-day workshop event last week with Florida State University's Panama City campus. The topic was additive manufacturing (AM,) also known as 3D printing.
According to a press release from ASTRO America, this was the first of three regional AMF-FL participant workshops, which are designed to engage government, academic and industry stakeholders in crafting a collaborative plan for maturing key supply chains in aerospace, defense and energy.
ASTRO America recently received a $1 million award from the National Science Foundation to help with the growth of 3D printing in Florida.
"To carry this out, the organization has partnered with five of the nation's leading universities," the release says. "Florida International University, Florida State University and the joint Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Florida — all of whom enjoy a rich history supporting underserved populations."
"Our focus was on how to fill up a 3D printing or additive manufacturing ecosystem to support the growth of aerospace, defense and 3D printing," said Neal Orringer, president of ASTRO America. "The Panhandle in Panama City was an excellent place to begin to develop this kind of ecosystem all across Northern Florida. We believe that Florida has the right building blocks to do this kind of development."
"The workshop was to identify what the opportunities are in North Florida. We want to attract more resources to the region," said Farrukh Alvi, associate provost for innovation, research & entrepreneurship at FSU. "We wanted to bring together all of the stakeholders and identify all of their challenges, needs, and start coming up with a concrete plan to address these things."
There is no denying that these workshops are giving the new generation an opportunity to land jobs, start businesses and expand their technology experience. These workshops can prove to have a generational impact when attracting people to occupations such as technicians, machinists and engineers.
"This is going to allow us to train the workforce of the future, not just people coming out of college or graduate school, but even people K-12 are getting the (training) they need to enter this kind of workforce," said Orringer. "We want to make these investments in Florida because we believe Florida has the right kinds of people and the right kinds of infrastructure."
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The opportunities ASTRO America is giving young people seem endless. Although ASTRO America is working with various universities throughout Florida, it also is giving young people who have not reached college yet a chance to learn, and prepare for, working in this environment.
This program has the key to open doors to whoever needs it in the state. ASTRO America and schools across Florida have made it clear that they want to make sure the future of technology and engineering are in great hands.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City workshop kicks off statewide push to create high-tech jobs
