Composite Manufacturing Training Program
Pinellas Technical College (PTC) – Clearwater.

The composite manufacturing program is designed to provide beginning and intermediate technical skill training to individuals interested in a career in the composite manufacturing industry. The curriculum is in draft stages right now but will involve basic safety, tools and processes, intermediate technical skills and processes and materials management. To better guide the program from inception to students being placed on the job, we are assembling employers/manufacturers who would have interest in advising us as to what to teach, help guide the program through development and operation and employ the graduates of the program.

We are planning the first meeting of interested employers for January 26, 10:30am at Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater and would value your involvement. At this meeting we will explain in detail the plan for the program and how your involvement can help us implement a training program that will fill your need for entry-level composite technicians.

Please share your ability to attend this meeting in person or by calling in, designee are also welcome:

January 26, 10:30am
Pinellas Technical College – Clearwater
6100 154th Ave. N., Clearwater 33760
Or Call In to: Toll-Free number: 1-888-670-3525
Participant code: 2330752893

CONTACT:
Mark Hunt
Executive Director
Career, Technical and Adult Education
Pinellas County Schools
301 Fourth Street SW, Largo, Florida 33779-2942
Office (727)588-6006
Cell (813)453-3820
Huntwi@pcsb.org

The Tampa Bay TechHire program will provide FREE IT training to youth and young adults between the ages of 17 and 29.

Some of the different certifications you will have the opportunity to earn once you have successfully completed the program are as follows:
• CompTIA A+
• CompTIA Security+
• CompTIA Network+
• Java programming
• USF Innovative Business Technology Boot Camp

Spaces still available for the following classes!
• CompTIA Network+ 1/25/2018
• CompTIA Security+ 1/29/2018
• USF Innovative Business Technology Boot Camp 1/22/2018

If you have interested parties, please send them to http://careersourcetampabay.com/pages/TB_TechHire to complete an online application, or email Gabrielle Howard at howardg@careersourcetampabay.com.

U.S. manufacturing expanded in December at the fastest pace in three months, as gains in orders and production capped the strongest year for factories since 2004, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.

Read the article in Bloomberg

FREE WEBINAR
EXPORTING: Getting Started or Expanding into new Markets

Wednesday, Dec. 20
10:30 am

REGISTRATION
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exporting-get-started-or-expand-into-new-markets-tickets-41058398776

Contact: Sandro Murtas, CICP, CGBP
Regional Export Finance Manager, Central & Northern Florida
Office of International Trade, U.S. Small Business Administration
U.S. Export Assistance Center
13805 58th Street North, Suite 1-200, Clearwater, FL 33760
Tel: 727-464-7177
Mob. 727-365-6939
sandro.murtas@sba.gov

National Conference on Industry Sector Growth Strategies
December 7-9
Location: Marriott, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

Join other business and community leaders to include Boeing, Gulfstream Aerospace, HCA, Raymond James, and US Representative Virginia Foxx to take part in The Voice of Business: National Conference on Industry Sector Growth Strategies.

Attendees will be able to provide and gain feedback on industry needs, vision for the future of work, talent challenges, and skills required to take their business to the next level. In addition, experts from fast-growing industries will share their insights on current economic position and what its future may hold.

Keynote Speaker: Mark Blyth, Political Economist & Author
[https://www.careersourcetampabay.com/img/public/blyth_mark_web(1).jpg]
Noted author, professor and expert on global politics and economics, Dr. Blyth regularly speaks to diverse global audiences including financial institutions, multi-national corporations, associations, governments and literary festivals. In addition to keynote speeches, he is a sought after moderator and live interviewer for notable figures such as Tony Blair, Gerhard Schroeder, and the ex-Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis. Blyth distinguishes himself on the speaking circuit with an ability to break down complex, financial and political issues with clarity and sharp Scottish wit. He predicted the Brexit vote, Trump’s election and Italy’s referendum well before most pundits. Hear him speak about “Politics and Economics in a New Era.”

To register & see the schedule: https://careersourcetampabay.com/pages/conference

Curriculum Survey

FloridaMakes, Polk State College (PSC), and FLATE (Florida Advanced Technological Education Center of Excellence) are requesting your extremely valuable participation in a short 15 minutes survey designed to define curriculum content of schools preparing competent workforce to meet your demand.

This is pretty straightforward with drop downs, not written responses needed. Simply rate how important each topic is to you, how much and how often does it come into play.

Click here to take the survey

We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to provide us your valuable feedback and will share the results when all the data has been compiled. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our team. Please respond by November 30.

Sincerely,
Mori Toosi, Polk State College, mtoosi@polk.edu, (863) 837-5937
Marilyn Barger, FLATE, mbarger@fl-ate.org, (813) 259-6578
Phil Centonze, FloridaMakes, phil.centonze@floridamakes.com, (954) 648-2642

Business Opportunities in Costa Rica Roadshow

Date:  Wednesday, November 8, 2017 
Time:  8:00 - 11:00 am 
Where:  EpiCenter at St. Petersburg College
13805 58th Street N, Room 2-302 Clearwater, FL  33760 

From February 26 - March 1, 2018, Enterprise Florida will lead an Export Sales Mission to San Jose, Costa Rica.  To learn more about the business opportunities for you in Costa Rica and the mission, you are invited to join us for a briefing on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

Bilateral trade between the U.S. and Costa Rica totaled $10.2 billion in 2016, and Florida leads all states in two way trade. As Florida’s 12th largest merchandise trading partner in 2016 with nearly $3.6 billion in total trade and nearly $2.5 billion in exports, Costa Rica holds vast opportunities for Florida companies.

Facilitated by the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), the U.S. has become the chief trading partner for Costa Rica and exporters benefit from eliminated tariffs and barriers. See what they can mean to your business!

The guest speaker for this event is Mr. Eric Wolff, Regional Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica, and will discuss best export opportunities for Florida companies.
 
A limited number of one-on-one appointments with Mr. Wolff will be available after the briefing. To reserve a one-on-one appointment, please email Joseph Bell at jbell@enterpriseflorida.com.

Register:   Click Here
 
Cost: Free
Contact: Joseph Bell
Enterprise Florida
813.276.9430
jbell@enterpriseflorida.com;

FloridaMakes Webinar: Flexible Hybrid Electronics: What it Means for Your Business
Wednesday, November 15
12 p.m. -1 p.m.

Click here to register.

Presenter: C. Andy Helm, Strategic Business Manager, Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Tech.
Flexible Hybrid Electronics: What it Means for Your Business

Manufacturers across the world are already using FHE to increase their manufacturing capabilities. Are you familiar with FHE and what it can do for your business? If not, you should be.

In a nutshell, FHE eliminates many of the barriers associated with traditional rigid electronics and allows for new and exciting applications. Some examples may be process sensors resulting in improved shop floor efficiencies or sensors monitoring environmental conditions throughout transit.

With the emergence of technology within manufacturing the only consistency is change, but change can mean great things for manufacturers, if you allow yourself to be exposed to new ideas and concepts to help grow your business.

The Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech is conducting a free, 50-minute webinar to introduce you to Flexible Hybrid Electronics and to better understand how small to mid-size manufacturers can incorporate this into their plant.

Please register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/573546333226714625

To learn how FloridaMakes’ services can unlock growth opportunities and cost savings for your company, contact your FloridaMakes’ Business Advisor Amy Lee at Alee@steic.org or at (727) 424-3698 (cell).

FloridaMakes is the official representative of the MEP National Network and NIST MEP in the State of Florida.

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Congratulations to BAMA member, Hydro-Dyne® Engineering for being named one of Grow Florida, Florida Company to Watch Winner for 2017. Hydro-Dyne is a custom engineered manufacturer of mechanical, screening and grit removal equipment for water and waste water treatment.

Read more about their award here.