Sessions of 2026 Connection Conference: Erik Gonzalez
Mr. Gonzalez, Erik
Regional Sales Manager
Klein Educational Systems
Erik Gonzalez is a Regional Sales Manager and consultant with a strong background in career and technical education and advanced manufacturing. He focuses on bridging the gap between industry and education by building strategic partnerships and developing programs that align closely with current and future workforce needs. Passionate about cultivating the next generation of builders, makers, and technicians, Erik believes that strong collaboration between industrial trades and education systems is essential to preparing learners with the skills needed to succeed in today's evolving careers.
Sessions:
[5868] The 80/20 Rule: One Program, Many Industries
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Westin La Paloma
- Administration
- Engineering, Manufacturing
What if one manufacturing program could prepare students for careers in semiconductor, electronics, and automotive manufacturing. All without building separate programs, labs, and curriculum for each? This session explores a bold, flexible approach to designing high school manufacturing programs that do exactly that. Instead of siloed pathways, you’ll discover how to build a single, powerful program that develops highly transferable skills while staying tightly aligned to real-world industry needs. At the heart of this model is a practical 80/20 strategy: roughly 80% of the program focuses on the fundamental skills shared across all manufacturing sectors—electrical, mechanical, fluid power, and controls. Whether you are moving computer chips, or potato chips, the fundamental skills for technicians stay the same. The remaining 20% is where customization happens, delivered through modular add-ons, industry partnerships, and hands-on internships that bring each sector's unique "edge" to life. The result is a streamlined, scalable, and cost-effective program model that keeps schools agile, responsive, and directly connected to the evolving demands of modern manufacturing.
