The University of South Florida's Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education works to extend the reach of USF's academic programs, and promotes advanced professional development in order to contribute to building a world class workforce in the Tampa Bay Area.

Over $90,000 is the estimated average salary for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt in Tampa, Florida*

Get Started Now!

No application or previous Lean Six Sigma Green Belt experience required to register for our program.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Program will meet 9am - 5pm, the following 8 Saturdays:
• May 5 (Define)
• May 19 and May 26 (Measure)
• June 23 and June 30 (Analyze)
• July 21 (Improve)
• July 28 (Control)
• August 11 (Storyboard Presentations and Exam)

What You Will Earn
To successfully complete the program, participants must meet the attendance requirement, successfully complete a storyboard and pass the final exam. You will earn continuing education contact hours/PDUs and you will receive a letter of completion, which may apply for professional development credit. Upon successfully completing this program, you will receive a Certification from the USF Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education.

Cost of Attendance
$2,995 (includes cost of all materials and the tool that will be used for the duration of the course, final exam and final storyboard review for certification) The Lean Six Sigma program will encompass all the necessary requirements for you to obtain a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification including training hours, project assessment and the exam. Learn More!

Register Now!
USF Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education
www.usf.edu/continuing-education | (813) 974-5550 | CE-Inquiries@usf.edu

*Source: Glassdoor.com. Six Sigma Green Belt Salaries in Tampa, FL (2018). https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/tampa-six-sigma-green-belt-salary-SRCH_IL.0,5_IM850_KO6,26.htm

Registration Open for 31st Annual Government Small Business Conference
Friday, May 4, 8AM - 5PM

Florida SBDC at USF (TAMPA) – The Florida SBDC at University of South Florida, in conjunction with the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at USF, are pleased to announce registration is now open for the 31st Annual Small Business Conference. This co-hosted conference, titled Strategy & Acquisition: Success in Federal Contracting, is a unique conference for small business owners to learn how to optimize government contracting opportunities through informative workshops, panel discussions, and a Business Opportunity Expo, featuring federal agencies.

Led by the region’s leading experts, the information covered will help business owners strengthen their government contracting relationships and gain insight into working with federal buyers.

“This is our premiere event each year for government contracting,” Stacey Dadd, marketing and communications officer for the Florida SBDC at USF, said. “Government contracting is such a vital area of business for many of our clients and opportunities abound. You just have to know where to find them.”

Cost is $149 per person during the early bird registration period. Early registration discounts end April 13. The conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m..

In addition to training and networking opportunities, the afternoon will feature a Small Business Awards Luncheon with a prominent keynote speaker.

To register for 31st Annual Government Small Business Conference, click here.

About the Florida SBDC Network:
For over forty years, the Florida SBDC at USF, the state's principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide emerging and established business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for the state. A statewide network of over 40 centers, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network's designated lead host institution. The Florida SBDC Network is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

About the Florida PTAC at USF
This Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency.

Manufacturing is alive and well in the U.S. Industrial automation in industry is providing a growing number of jobs for technically trained people who can build, program, integrate, service, maintain and operate PLCs. Job opportunities include programming, packaging, power generation, mining, machine design, and building automated systems, maintenance, transportation, systems integration, component testing, technical sales, quality control, electrical, mechanical, computer, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. PLC Technicians install and repair industrial electronic equipment including I/O networks, data highways, and variable speed drives, process control equipment, and write PLC programs for a wide variety of automated control systems ranging from simple on-off controls to robotics.

Upcoming Course Dates:
Mar. 12 - Apr. 8, 2018
Apr. 9 - May 6, 2018
May 7 - June 3, 2018

The 5 day hands-on lab classes are conducted at BRAAS Company:
230 Douglas Rd., Oldsmar, FL 34677

Lab times: 1-4 PM or 5-8 PM
(Monday – Friday)

The 30 hour SPC Workforce Institute PLCs Certification Program is a hybrid program providing 12 hours of online courseware, 15 hours of intensive hands-on lab activities, and 3 hours of online preparation for the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) exam.
3 hours of course credit can be articulated to AS Engineering degree program.

Register today by clicking this link and selecting the dates and lab sessions that you would like to attend.

For more information regarding PLCs training, please contact Fred Tucker with the Workforce Institute at 727-791-2409 or tucker.fred@spcollege.edu.

MSSC Certified Production Technician (CPT) Course
This 9-week course provides entry-level training in manufacturing essentials to include safety awareness, production and processes, quality assurance, and maintenance awareness. Upon successful completion, students will obtain the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification.

Upcoming Course Dates:
March 10 – June 6, 2018 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 5:30-8pm for 9 weeks)
Classes are held at the SPC Epicenter, Room 1-318, located at 13805 58th St. N. Clearwater 33760.
15 hours of course credit can be articulated to the college’s AS Engineering degree program.
Register today by clicking Here.

For more information on Manufacturing course offerings, please call Fred Tucker at 727-791-2409.
For information on all other training, please visit SPC’s Workforce Institute page or contact us at (727) 341-4445 or workforce@spcollege.edu.

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) Certification Course
PLC Technicians install and repair industrial electronic equipment including I/O networks, data highways, and variable speed drives, process control equipment, and write PLC programs for a wide variety of automated control systems ranging from simple on-off controls to robotics.

The 30 hour SPC Workforce Institute PLCs Certification Program is a hybrid program providing 12 hours of online courseware, 15 hours of intensive hands-on lab activities, and 3 hours of online preparation for the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) exam.
Upcoming Course Dates:
• Mar. 12 - Apr. 8, 2018
• Apr. 9 - May 6, 2018
• May 7 - June 3, 2018
The 5 day hands-on lab classes are conducted at BRAAS Company:
230 Douglas Rd., Oldsmar, FL 34677
Lab times: 1-4 PM or 5-8 PM (Monday – Friday)

Register today by clicking the link and selecting the dates and lab sessions that you would like to attend:  Register Here

3 hours of course credit can be articulated to AS Engineering degree program.
For more information on Manufacturing course offerings, please call Fred Tucker at 727-791-2409.
For information on all other training, please visit SPC’s Workforce Institute page or contact us at (727) 341-4445 or workforce@spcollege.edu.

The 2018 Florida Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo is 90 days away!

With the USF Young Innovators Competition now part of the Bright Young Minds Coalition & Florida Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo, we cannot wait to see the incredible Young Inventors, Innovators and Entrepreneurs in action! This partnership means students, teachers and classrooms now have access to year-round support, curricula, resources and tools. Teachers will have access to all tools and resources provided by The National STEMIE Coalition. STEMIE is a STEM based program infused with Invention & Entrepreneurship. Invention Education has been around since the 1980's and precedes STEM by about 20 years. Students go through an 8-step process to take them through the entire Invention Process from Idea to Prototype and Pitch to Presentation.

The value of invention education, according to kids: http://video.newyorker.com/watch/kid-inventors-tell-all

STEMIE Invention & Entrepreneurship Education is currently in more than 35 states in the United States and this year we are so thrilled to have gone Global! The Global Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo is May 31st - June 3 in Dearborn. MI being held at The Henry Ford Museum. We are blessed to have wonderful National Partners like The Henry Ford Museum, The Lemelson Foundation and UTC to name a few. We have garnered a great deal of National attention recently. But really need support here locally. Winners from the Florida Invention Convention may be invited to participate in the National & Global Invention Convention!

Bright Young Minds Coalition has partnered with Pinellas Technical College to host the Florida Invention Convention & Entrepreneurship Expo on May 4th & 5th. We are expecting to host 300-500 Young Innovators, Inventors and Entrepreneurs.

If you are an educator and want to learn more about upcoming Professional Development Workshops, implementing Invention Education or how your student(s) can participate in Invention Convention we look forward to getting your school registered! If you are a parent or student inventor and want to learn more about Invention Education or participating in Invention Convention or Spring Break and Summer Camps, please  email Tracy for more details. Invent Florida School Registration

If you would like to get involved we have many opportunities for volunteerism, judging, donations, Award or Category Sponsors and Corporate Sponsorship, I would love to talk with you personally! An event of this size spread over two days is a massive undertaking and an excellent opportunity for supporters of STEM, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education to become involved and take part in helping to create our future leaders, inventors, and entrepreneurs. I am available to answer any questions about student inventors participating in FLIC, helping schools and teachers learn more about STEMIE Invention Education and discussing ways you or your company can become involved! Please feel free to email or call Tracy directly.

Global Invention Convention comes to The Henry Ford

Contact: Tracy Zuluaga
Executive Director
O: 800-311-6744
M: (305) 753 5755
tracy@inventflorida.org

www.brightyoungmindscoalition.org
www.inventflorida.org
www.stemie.org

The Manufacturing Alliance of Hillsborough County is proud to announce M-Pact, a new series of events aimed at educating, informing, and connecting manufacturers. Each meeting features an expert speaker covering a critical area, such as training opportunities, employee development and more.

Potential topics include :
• Free Training Grants/Tax Incentives for Employees
• Workforce Trends – Investing in staff development; Bridging Generational gap

The first M-Pact meeting is scheduled for March 7 at the Hillsborough Community Center - Brandon Campus, Room BADM 116-117 (Conference Center). If you are a manufacturer and would like to recommend a specific topic, please contact Elizabeth Vocke at evocke@thinkcreativeinc.com.

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) Certification Course

PLC Technicians install and repair industrial electronic equipment including I/O networks, data highways, and variable speed drives, process control equipment, and write PLC programs for a wide variety of automated control systems ranging from simple on-off controls to robotics.

The 30 hour SPC Workforce Institute PLCs Certification Program is a hybrid program providing 12 hours of online courseware, 15 hours of intensive hands-on lab activities, and 3 hours of online preparation for the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) exam.

Upcoming Course Dates:
Feb. 5 - Mar. 4, 2018
Mar. 12 - Apr. 8, 2018
Apr. 9 - May 6, 2018
May 7 - June 3, 2018

The 5 day hands-on lab classes are conducted at BRAAS Company:
230 Douglas Rd., Oldsmar, FL 34677
Lab times: 1-4 PM or 5-8 PM
(Monday – Friday)

Register today by clicking the link and selecting the dates and lab sessions that you would like to attend:
Register Here

3 hours of course credit can be articulated to AS Engineering degree program

For more information on PLC course offerings, please call Fred Tucker at 727-791-2409.
For information on all other training, please visit SPC’s Workforce Institute page or contact us at (727) 341-4445 or workforce@spcollege.edu.

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