Educated Workforce Task Force Meets to Scale Program Reach

Earlier in October, the NFPA Board of Directors met over a series of virtual meetings to review progress on NFPA’s strategic objectives so far this fiscal year. This series of meetings included a targeted session for the Educated Workforce Task Force, a group that focuses on improving the programs that support NFPA’s objective to “increase the number of technical college and university students educated in fluid power and connects them to careers in the fluid power industry.” 

This year’s priorities in this area include: 

1. To work to scale reach and impact of Fast Track to Fluid Power initiative. 

1. To continue to scale the reach and impact of the University Power Partners program. 

1. To increase program reach into underserved communities. 

Progress to date includes development of a regional planning map for 12 future Fast Track Hubs to bring more fluid power to high schools and tech schools in strategic areas throughout the country. We also recently announced Iowa State University and Milwaukee School of Engineering as our second and third Power Partner University and are aiming for a fourth and fifth next year. NFPA staff has also been working to develop targets for underserved communities, which has included engaging HBCUs in programs such as the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge and Fluid Power Clubs. 

What this means for you 

These priorities will help ensure there is a sustainable and strong pipeline of fluid power-educated technical college and university graduates in communities across the country.  

You can get involved and reap the benefits in this area in a number of ways in the next few months: 

1. Share Your Tech School and University Contacts 
   If you know of any schools or organizations that serve underserved communities with STEM education, we would love to know about them! Please contact Amy Zignego at azignego@nfpa.com and she can connect directly to them with more information about relevant programs.
2. Help Judge the Vehicle Challenge  
   While the opportunity to judge at the April 2022 events is only open to Pascal Donors, members who are not Pascal Donors are invited to judge the Midway Reviews in winter 2021-22 for a chance to experience what the students are working on. Please reach out to Stephanie Scaccianoce at sscaccianoce@nfpa.com with questions or to participate. 
3. Help Review Scholarship Applications for the Fluid Power Scholarship Program  
   Reviewers should expect to review applications in April-May 2022 but are encouraged to sign up for this opportunity early. Total time commitment is approximately 3-5 hours. Please reach out to Amy Zignego at azignego@nfpa.com with questions or to participate.
4. Help Review Applications for the Robotics Challenge Scholarship 
   Reviewers should expect to review applications and help with phone interviews in May-June 2022 but are encouraged to sign up for this opportunity early. Total time commitment is approximately 3-5 hours. Please reach out to Mary Pluta at mpluta@nfpa.com with questions or to participate. 

Many thanks to taskforce participants