Florida Simulation Summit: Four Key Takeaways at the Fifth Annual Tech Event
The 5th annual Florida Simulation Summit, hosted by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, in partnership with the National Center for Simulation and the Orlando Economic Partnership, was held on Sept. 26, 2019 at the Orange County Convention Center. Mayor Jerry Demings kicked off the event by stating the importance of the modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) sector in the Central Florida region and beyond.
The Summit featured a variety of speakers and panels who represented the region and throughout the U.S. in the MS&T sector. The event was jam-packed with insightful information, but if you missed it, here are four key takeaways from the Florida Simulation Summit:
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Central Florida is the epicenter for the Modeling, Simulation & Training sector. This sector directly employs more than 27,000 Floridians in skilled, high-wage jobs. Additionally, Team Orlando, which serves as the local military procurement branch, represent $6 billion in annual contracting in Orange County.
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Education is the key. General Manager of Microsoft Education Dan Ayoub stated that 65 percent of jobs in the future do not exist today. That is why education is the key in empowering training for the future workforce. Some law schools and medical schools are already requiring Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses. A recent case study found that students using AI/Virtual Reality learning methods had the same test scores compared to students who studied via traditional methods, but the students who used AI in their studies, grasped concepts with 60 percent less preparation time.
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Central Florida has the homegrown talent. Panelist Christopher Chambers, founder and CEO of Orlando-based Serious Simulations, LLC, said he moved his small company from Texas to Florida because the talent pool is here. The rich talent pool from the area comes from the nearly 500,000 students within 100 miles of the area and MS&T training programs, such as those at the University of Central Florida and Valencia College.
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MS&T is pervasive throughout almost every industry. Even with its strong roots in the defense sector, over time it has diversified into other clusters such as life sciences, tourism, cyber security, healthcare, sports, gaming, engineering and transportation. For example, the medical industry is using MS&T to help reduce human error. In healthcare, the importance of training is essential – and MS&T replicates healthcare environments. In addition, MS&T helps ensure there is better communication between healthcare teams, which is one of the most common causes of medical mistakes.
To learn more about MS&T’s impact in Central Florida, visit the National Center for Simulation.
Photo Caption: A life-saving simulation utilizing MS&T is demonstrated during the Florida Simulation Summit.