Edge Factor Blog

NCATC and Edge Factor Partner to Tackle Workforce Development

Written by Edge Factor Team | March 7, 2022 at 1:30 PM

The National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) is extending the partnership with  Edge Factor to provide its members with tools to inspire, engage and connect with students and job-seekers preparing to launch rewarding careers in the exciting world of advanced manufacturing. This partnership will help to provide opportunities for young people to prepare for a successful career and become effective future leaders.  

 

NCATC is an association that advocates, advises, and promotes the use of advanced technology applications to enhance economic and workforce development programs and services. With over 160 members from community and technical colleges, universities, CTE high schools, adult education organizations and the corporate community, NCATC provides great networking opportunities.

 

Preparing Students for Careers of the Future 

 

NCATC provides its member companies with resources to tackle workforce development challenges with a special emphasis on: 

 

  • Preparing the future workforce for Industry 4.0/x.0, Advanced Technology, Smart Automation & Manufacturing:  NCATC does this by collaborating with leaders from community colleges across North America, who are on the forefront of emerging trends and challenges in advanced technology and manufacturing.

 

  • Promoting Apprenticeships, Work-Based Learning and Entrepreneurship in Workforce Development: NCATC supports the integration of all forms of work-based learning. 

 

  • Competency Based Learning: This includes working with groups to find, document, and share innovative and best practices for adoption and implementation of competency-based learning including alignment to industry-recognized credentials.

 

  • Adult Education and Learning Opportunities | Access, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: NCATC supports the expansion and enhancement of innovative and accelerated advanced technology educational pathways for adults that integrate career technical and adult education and equitable opportunities for adults from underserved communities. 

 

Together, NCATC and Edge Factor understand the tremendous need to empower companies with tangible tools to build their workforce pipeline.  

 

Edge Factor’s Career Exploration Journey 

 

Edge Factor uses the power of cinematic storytelling to take students and job-seekers on a journey from "I have no idea what I want to do with my life" to discovering industries, careers, CTE and postsecondary programs, Soft Skills, STEAM and local opportunities.  We have criss-crossed North America to produce thousands of videos and interactive activities that highlight every industry and deliver these tools through our platform. The people behind each company featured in Edge Factor videos have stories and career opportunities worth sharing.  Stories of real life people making a difference in their communities, who are building ecosystems and paving the way for the next generation of innovators, manufacturers and entrepreneurs. 

 

Edge Factor and partners that include NCATC, are launching event toolkits for companies, schools, and workforce leaders to share and inspire students and job-seekers to launch career pathways! Each toolkit will be available for FREE for 3 months and will include videos such as Career Profiles, Soft Skills on-the-Job, virtual field trips, award winning edutainment films, and more. Families, students, and community members will be able to watch these videos in their homes, at live or virtual events, in presentations, over social media, in newsletters, and beyond. 

 

With these toolkits and other components of this partnership, NCATC  and their member companies will engage families and job-seekers at home and online, reach educators, school counselors, and students in classrooms, and engage community members at events. 

 

NCATC member companies are invited to spread the word and share the links to view the toolkits, and when possible, to host presentations on the opportunities they offer. Each toolkit includes promotional tools and practical “How To” Guides for companies, schools, and workforce leaders to host an engaging event, with checklists on everything they need to know on how to plan, promote, host and follow-up on engaging virtual or live events. 

 

Pre-register today for the free 2022 Toolkits

  1. Diversity in Skilled Trades Toolkit: available for free in March - May 2022 - This toolkit is all about showcasing diverse people in diverse careers in the skilled trades. Coinciding with awareness days like March’s “International Women's Day” and April’s “Celebrate Diversity” Month, this toolkit will provide a ton of content for your organization and network to celebrate real life men and women who have launched rewarding career pathways.

  2. Summer Camp Toolkit: available for free in June - August 2022 - Summer Learning Programs and Summer Camps are in need of turnkey tools to engage students! This toolkit shows how Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math all come alive in real world careers! Perfect for summer camps or family activities.

  3. Rock MFG DAY: available for free in September - November 2022 - October is Manufacturing Day/ Month and we are providing the 2022 Rock MFG DAY kit for everyone to highlight the extraordinary world of advanced manufacturing. This toolkit includes resources to promote manufacturing careers and technology and showcase how STEAM comes alive in this industry.

Uniting Community Efforts

 

Edge Factor unites efforts in a community through our e-learning platform. We have created thousands of videos, interactive activities, and lesson plans that focus on career exploration. K-12 and Postsecondary schools, companies, and organizations partner with Edge Factor to help tackle workforce development regionally and nationally. Using the power of storytelling, Edge Factor media showcases industries and career profiles, teaches soft skills, shows how STEAM comes alive on-the-job, teaches Financial Literacy, provides Virtual Workplace Experiences, promotes training and career opportunities, and much more. Each of the toolkits in 2022 will include specially selected videos and tools from Edge Factor’s robust library, to meet the target audience and theme of the toolkit. 

 

“When “normal” is no longer considered normal, we look for ways to reshape initiatives, get creative, adapt, and engage with our communities,” said Larissa Hofman, Vice President of Edge Factor.  “By linking arms with the NCATC Team and Craig McAtee, we will equip organizations across North America to engage families at home and students in classrooms - to inspire and build the future workforce.”

 

“After following the early works of Edge Factor over five years ago, NCATC invited their Founder & CEO, Jeremy Bout to be our keynote speaker for our 2016 annual Fall Conference hosted by Harper College (IL). From the moment we met, we knew we were of like mind, passion, and desire to work even closer for greater impact and reach for the greater good of our country’s education and workforce needs.  This new, deeply committed collaboration exemplifies our combined strengths, vision, and commitment to all of that and much more!” said Craig McAtee, CEO & Executive Director, NCATC.

 

To learn more about NCATC visit their website or email Craig McAtee at craig@ncatc.org 

 

Learn more about Edge Factor 

If you are interested in learning more about what an Edge Factor membership can unlock, create your free account or register for an upcoming live webinar

 

Questions? Feedback? Contact us.

Email: info@edgefactor.com or message us on the Live Chat. We’d love to hear from you.