STEM Workforce Call-to-Collaboration

The primary purpose of our quarterly meetings is to engage in local dialogues about how we can increase the quality of STEM education; the quantity of STEM educated graduates that are eligible for employment in the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industries; and the amount and effectiveness of engagement by A&D employers, working in partnership with others in their communities.

Previous meetings have demonstrated the productiveness of bringing together participants in the national level AIA and NDIA workforce efforts with state and local STEM workforce and education stakeholders, to share best practices, expand the “toolbox” of ideas for engaging the community; and discuss issues and solutions. We hope you will be able to attend the meeting and come away with some great ideas and action plans.

What is the purpose of this meeting?
1. To foster regional and statewide communication and to develop operational concepts for collaboration to enhance and expand the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) future workforce in Virginia.
2. To identify opportunities for multi-industry collaboration and alignment to advance STEM education and cultivate the 21st century workforce. 

What are the objectives?
1. To identify STEM education, skills and competencies goals; and to determine effective ways of partnering with elementary, secondary and post secondary education to produce the 21st Century workforce.
2. To develop a unified STEM message from industry in Virginia to educators, parents, and students.   
3. To identify best practices and implement methods to nurture and emulate or replicate and connect high payoff programs through collaboration in the STEM network. 

Who should attend? 
• Aerospace and defense company representatives with workforce development or community relations responsibilities.
• Members of other industries with a stake in STEM education and workforce preparation.
• STEM educators, school administrators, and district supervisors.
• Members of the academic community involved in STEM.
• State and local education, workforce development, and economic development officials.
• Members of the philanthropic community focused on education and workforce.
• STEM program providers.
• Other participants in Virginia STEM Initiatives.