This was my son Jack’s third year competing in the Berkshire Robotics Challenge. At 12 years old, he has now spent several months each year building, programming, testing, and refining a robot with his teammates, all leading up to a single day of competition. He had never made the playoff round, and this year, he very much wanted to. This year, he found himself in the role of the “veteran.”  His teammates were younger and were new to the competition.  He took the responsibility seriously....

Last week, Sharp Sterile Manufacturing opened its doors to a room full of local and regional community leaders. It wasn’t a ribbon cutting. It wasn’t a press event. It was a conversation. Company leaders walked us through their facility in Lee, explained the precision behind sterile fill-finish manufacturing, and — most notably — asked for input. They wanted feedback. They wanted to understand how they could better engage local suppliers, restaurants, service firms, and educators. They talked...

Advanced manufacturing faces a persistent and growing workforce challenge. Engineers are trained to design systems. Technicians are trained to operate machines. But as manufacturing environments become more complex—integrating automation, robotics, digital controls, and data-driven processes—companies increasingly need professionals who can bridge the space in between. That “missing middle” is where the technologist emerges.  It is also precisely the gap the Technologist Advanced...