Fleetway Inc.’s Post

#ICYMI, The Port of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools broke ground Wednesday on the 20-acre Port Maritime Center project that will include a new port business office and Maritime|253 skills center. The campus will be built on port-owned land across from downtown Tacoma. Chamber staff members were on hand to celebrate the groundbreaking. “This collaboration between the Port of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools will serve as a gateway for our students — connecting them to hands-on, career-focused education in the maritime industry while completing their high-school studies," said Mayor Victoria Woodards. "This project is a testament to what we can achieve when we invest in education, workforce development, and the industries that make Tacoma thrive." “Years of hard work, dedication, and collaboration have brought us here,” said Tacoma Public Schools’ Board President Korey Strozier. “We’re shaping the future of maritime in our region and opening doors for more young people to step into an industry that’s critical to our community’s growth. This is a proud and exciting moment for all of us.” Image courtesy of the Port of Tacoma. #WorkforceDevelopment #Maritime253

Ding Zhao, associate professor of mechanical engineering, demonstrated a new project his team is undertaking to evaluate the safety of autonomous vehicles for vulnerable road users, such as wheelchair users, people with strollers, vision-impaired people, service dog users and e-scooter riders to Buttigieg during his visit.

“It’s probably the least publicized thing that the U.S. DOT does, but one of the most important. What I’m especially excited about is the lifesaving potential of autonomous technologies. You know, the whole journey through automated vehicles in many ways traces back to what Carnegie Mellon and teams achieved in response to a federal challenge in 2007. It’s really exciting to see the light years of progress that’s been made since then.”

Students at Old Dominion University's Batten College of Engineering & Technology are hard at work developing "Honor Haul," a project our teamed ideated that aims to produce an adjustable wheelchair rack for an injured veteran's handcycle — making it easier for them to travel with it. Read more about the project in ODU's latest blog. Link in comments.

Pathway one: Career and technical education While a four-year degree is important for many students — especially if their ideal job is among the 64% that do require a college degree—college may not be the best pathway or even a needed pathway for others. Career and technical education (CTE) programs are one non-college pathway to prepare students for the workforce. These programs also engage students in what they’re learning. CTE programs in high school: Show students tangible proof of their skills and what they’re learning and why Give students access to entry- and mid-level certifications that let them enter the workforce right after high school or use to skip college courses. Are more likely to graduate high school.

HOUSING SHORTAGES.!!!! The Government of UK!! During the sixties, Pre fabricated houses were used to speed up lack of housing. A lot still standing fast. Does this not make sense for Government targets of building fast? Just think of more factories for assembly purposes, actual assembly of house should be a good employment to teach apprenticeship plus manufacturing. Probably design can be changed to whatever.SPEEDED UP BUILDING WITH QUALITY!! Just a thought?!!!! £350.00?!!

Rowan University Strengthens Partnership with ERDC at CRREL “It’s been a gamechanger.” That’s how Dr. Yusuf Mehta, leader of Rowan University's CREATES center, describes the collaboration with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). This summer, the partnership reached new heights when over 20 Rowan faculty, staff, and students visited ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, NH. The two-day visit was filled with insightful learning, networking, and collaboration. Rowan’s team had the opportunity to tour CRREL’s state-of-the-art facilities, dive deep into groundbreaking research, and share their own innovations in advanced transportation engineering. This visit is just one of many milestones in an exciting and ongoing partnership driving progress in engineering research and education. #RowanUniversity #ERDC #CRREL #CREATES #Research #STEM #Partnership #Innovation https://lnkd.in/e9gvKs4n

The Paso del Norte’s traumatic experience with the loss of tens of thousands of middle-income manufacturing jobs in the 1990s as a result of NAFTA and globalization left many families with the conclusion that college was the only path left to join the middle class. Instead of evolving, technical education atrophied as schools resolved to focus on college readiness instead. Undervaluing technical education and expertise came with significant costs to residents and the economy. Employment in Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industries, even for technicians, provides a pathway to the middle class, but there is not enough skills-based training in place to meet the labor demands. For some residents, college is not the right fit or is simply a luxury out of reach. There are few affordable technical education programs to prepare these residents for employment in high-demand industries like A&D manufacturing. Without intentional educational pathways, 27% of our workforce is employed in low-wage occupations, making less than a living wage with no prospects for social mobility (Workforce Solutions Borderplex 2022).

BIG WEEK: It was a big week in the City of Rockford. Here are a few highlights! • Stellantis announced it will return vehicle production to Belvidere with a new midsize truck, and 1,500 UAW-represented workers will return to work. • Along with Rockford Mass Transit District, we announced that beginning February 1, 2025, any individual in the community enrolled in a local post-secondary education program or in a local adult General Educational Development (GED)/High School Equivalency (HSE) program will now be able to ride RMTD’s fixed route service for free. • The Chicago Rockford International Airport announced it served a record number of passengers in 2024 and recorded its third-largest year for cargo weight landed at the airport. • Rockford Promise announced that students at Rock Valley College will be able to transfer to Northern Illinois University to continue their tuition-free education starting next fall. • Lydia Kozlowski was selected as the City of Rockford’s next Poet Laureate. • The downtown Starbucks, located at the corner of West State and N. Main streets, is now officially open.

In case you missed it in our latest department newsletter, be sure to check out the Spring issue of Engineering at Maryland!