The Orlando region is rich with global, industry-leading companies and innovative higher education institutions. Partnerships between Orlando’s largest companies and universities ensure the region’s workforce remains highly-qualified and knowledgeable. A perfect example of this type of partnership is the 30 year collaboration between Siemens Energy, Inc. and the University of Central Florida, recently made stronger by Siemens’ multimillion dollar software donation.
Siemens recently donated its “product lifecycle management” software, which sells for $68 million, to the university. This software gives engineers a virtual look at a product’s life cycle, including how certain components will interact with other components. Over 140,000 companies, like Tupperware and Lockheed Martin, use this software. After gaining hands-on experience with the software, UCF students potentially improve their chances of getting hired after graduation and the Orlando region earns a workforce more qualified for advanced manufacturing positions.
UCF’s strong engineering program and position as a global hub for research and development in advanced turbomachinery were cited as the top reasons Siemen’s donated to the university. Siemens also supports the university’s Center for Advanced Turbine Energy and Research, a facility that researches turbo machinery and other technologies related to power generation, aviation and space propulsion.
As a global leader in advanced manufacturing, Siemens understands the value of investing in higher education. The academic partnership between UCF and Siemens has resulted in $8 million in research and development over the past 20 years. Siemens will also have an active role in developing UCF’s new digital grid laboratory, which will be the first of its kind in the U.S., by providing industry hardware and software to the College of Engineering and Computer Science.