Why should I attend?
Join Catalyst Connection and The Consortium for Public Education for a professional learning experience called Industry 4.0 Teacher Academy! During this unique experience you will learn how the manufacturing industry is using emerging Industry 4.0 technologies to revolutionize the way they manufacture, improve and distribute their products. After attending this experience you will know how you can take the knowledge you gained back into your classroom to expose today’s learners of these high-demand and high-paying career pathways.
What to expect during the experience:
- Learn about a variety of emerging technologies and create a plan of action for taking the knowledge into your classroom and district.
- Join a peer network community of fellow educators for collaboration opportunities both short-term and long-term.
- Network with resource providers, partner organizations, and manufacturing industry representatives.
Attend the academy with another teacher from your district to cross collaborate (this is not a requirement, but we highly recommend!).
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities:
Summer 2025 3-Day Experience
Day 1 – July 30th 8:00am-3:00pm
@ Mill 19 – 4501 Lytle St. Building A, Pittsburgh, PA 15207
Day 2 – August 6th 8:00am-3:00pm
@ CCAC Allegheny Campus – 808 Ridge Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Day 3 – August 13th 8:00am-3:00pm
@ Digital Foundry – 855 Fifth Ave. New Kensington, PA 15068
**Please note: you must attend all 3 days to receive the $250 stipend and Act 48 hours
Additional notes:
- Up to 4 registrants per district, additional will be put on a waiting list
- If you have attended a 3-day experience in the past you will be put on a waiting list to allow slots for others who have not
Check back for Fall 2025 dates to be announced!
Teacher Testimonials
“The Teacher Academy took my knowledge level from novice to moderate. Though I still want to learn more, this series gave me an incredible amount of background knowledge and connections with businesses to help my students. It should be expanded to allow more teachers and guidance counselors to gain this knowledge!”
“I can’t thank you enough for providing this opportunity to each of us. It has truly opened my eyes to new career opportunities to present to students and a great starting point to enhance my lessons.”
“I will admit I was so nervous coming into this, not knowing how much I would be able to incorporate into elementary school, but I was able to learn so much that I can apply and I am so thankful for that as a new STEAM teacher.”
“As an elementary teacher, I really wasn’t certain what to expect. I was impressed by each of the locations and presenters. I am eager to share new career opportunities not only with my students in colleagues but with my friends outside of work. You’ve opened my eyes to industry 4.0.”
What is Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 is short for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Industry 4.0 began at the turn of this century and is driven by the convergence of advanced manufacturing technologies:
- Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Augmented Reality
- Autonomous Robots
- Big Data and Analytics
- Cybersecurity
- Horizontal and Vertical System Integration
- Industrial Internet of Things
- The Cloud
- Simulation
Past Professional Development Opportunities:
March 2025 - AI for Elementary Educators Session
This session was aimed at K-6 educators who were interested in learning more about Artificial Intelligence! Our amazing partners at the Children’s Museum had a day packed with hands-on actvities and intuitive conversations. It was a great informative session including an amazing panel discussion featuring Aerotech, The Barnes Global Advisors, and The Robotics Factory.
March 21st, 2025 @ Children’s Museum – MuseumLab
February 2025 - General 1-Day Session
This 1-day event was a condensed version of the summer 2024 exeperience. We encouraged attendees from the summer to share the invitation with others at their districts to increase exposure and welcomed new districts to the mix from local Beaver county schools and beyond! It was a great informative session including an amazing panel discussion featuring Covestro, Barnes Global Advisors, Penna Flame, and Coherent. Our friends from BotsIQ came and did a microbit hands-on activity. The day ended with a tour of Kenson Plastics.
February 25th, 2025 @ Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit
December 2024 - General 1-Day Session
This 1-day event was a condensed version of the summer 2024 exeperience. We encouraged attendees from the summer to share the invitation with others at their districts to increase exposure and welcomed new districts to the mix from local Westmoreland and Fayette county schools! It was a great informative session including an amazing panel discussion featuring ZOLL, Intervala, and Siemens Energy. The day ended with a tour of Intervala.
December 11th, 2024 @ Westmoreland County Community College
November 2024 - General 1-Day Session
This 1-day event was a condensed version of the summer 2024 exeperience. We encouraged attendees from the summer to share the invitation with others at their districts to increase exposure and welcomed new districts to the mix from local Butler and Armstrong county schools! It was a great informative session including an amazing panel discussion featuring Coherent, Penn United Technologies, and Keystone Ridge Designs. The day ended with a tour of Butler Technologies.
November 13th, 2024 @ Butler County Community College
Summer 2024 - 3-Day Experience
This was our second year doing a 3-day summer experience and it was very successful! This program will be happening again in summer 2025 thanks to our grant funding and amazing feedback from participants.
Day 1: July 25th, 2024 @ Mill 19
+ tour of ARM and CMU’s Manufacturing Futures Institute
Day 2: August 1st, 2024 @ CCAC North Side
+ tour of Moonshot Museum
Day 3: August 9th, 2024 @ Digital Foundry
+ tour of Pittsburgh Brewing Company
Spring 2024 - Hands-On Additive Manufacturing Workshops
These two sessions were a result of our previous attendees wanting to get deeper into specific technologies and get some more hands-on experiences. These sessions focused specifically on Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing).
February 27th, 2024 @ Pittsburgh Technical College – Intro to Additive Manufacturing Workshop
March 20th, 2024 @ Pittsburgh Technical College – Advanced Additive Manufacturing Workshop
December 2023 - Hands-On Robotics Session
This 1-day hands-on session was a result of our previous attendees wanting to get deeper into specific technologies and get some more hands-on experiences. This session focused specifically on robotics.
December 7th, 2023 @ BotsIQ Training Center
November 2023 - General 1-Day Session
This 1-day event was a condensed version of the summer 2023 exeperience. We encouraged attendees from the summer to share the invitation with others at their districts and also welcomed new districts to the mix! It was a great informative session.
November 2nd, 2023 @ Pittsburgh Technical College
Summer 2023 - 3-Day Experience
This 3-day experience kicked off the Industry 4.0 Teacher Academy and was wildly successful! Attendees were eager for more afterwards which sparked the program continuing into other sessions throughout the school year and into the next summer.
Day 1: August 1, 2023 @ Mill 19
Day 2: August 8th, 2023 @ Robert Morris University
Day 3: August 15th, 2023 @ Digital Foundry in New Kensington
Frequently Asked Questions
What subject area teachers should attend these trainings?
While technology education teachers may seem to have the best alignment, this training is beneficial for teachers from a wide array of subject areas! Including, but not limited to English, Mathematics, Science, Art, Business, etc. as Industry 4.0 is multifaceted.
Can more than 1 teacher from my district attend?
Absolutely! We actually encourage that more than 1 individual from a school district attends our Industry 4.0 Academy. This allows for collaboration at the district.
I am a school administrator (ie: principal, curriculum coordinator, guidance counselor, etc.) am I able to attend?
Yes, of course! We would just encourage you to bring a teacher with you from your district.
What will I learn?
You will learn:
- What types of manufacturing happens in Southwestern Pennsylvania
- What is Industry 4.0 and the different types of technologies
- How to implement technologies into your district
- How to educate your students on these career pathways
You will:
- Interact with local manufacturing professionals who are using Industry 4.0 technologies
- Experience hands-on activities provided by our various partners that can be brought into your districts at no-cost
- Tour awesome locations!
Do I need prior knowledge of Industry 4.0 to attend?
Absolutely not! All levels of knowledge are welcome.
How will I know if I am selected for a training?
The trainings and workshops are all first come first serve. We only have a certain number of spots available for each. Our summer academys are 30 max. We will notify confirmation once registration has been received.
Is lunch provided?
Yes, lunch will be provided at each training/workshop day.
Do I have to attend all 3 days to receive the stipend? (SUMMER ONLY)
Yes, you must attend all 3 FULL days of the summer academy experience to recieve the $300 stipend.
Will I be reimbursed for mileage?
No, mileage will not be reimbursed. The teacher stipend during the summer days can be utilized for this expense.
Is parking free at each location?
There are free parking options at most locations. More details will be sent out regarding each location after registration.
I am not able to attend the current available dates, but will this be offered again?
It is our intent to offer it again in a variety of ways. This is dependent on funding and teacher feedback.
If you would like to be on a waiting list for a future offering please contact Hannah. hkusenko@catalystconnection.org
UPCOMING SESSIONS!
Our summer 2025
3-day experience is open for registration!
Presented by:
In partnership with:
Sponsored by:
