Expanding Capacity for STEM Careers in Higher Education
Abstract
The Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner seeks funding to expand the capacity of its higher education and industry,centers to provide higher education and workforce development services on behalf of our largest defense client, General Dynamics Ele,ctric Boat, its supply chain manufacturers, and northern and southern Rhode Island regional employers, to build and maintain a diver,se, skilled Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce of benefit to the U.S. Navy and related defense indust,ries.RIOPCs performance goals are aligned with U.S. Navy goals of Investing in human capital through coordination of learning oppo,rtunities for the civilian workforce. These goals include:Workforce development: Increase the number of Rhode Islanders in both th,e northern and southern regions of the state who are trained for high-demand, high-wage jobs aligned with Rhode Islands advanced ma,nufacturing, financial, and information technology sector strategiesEquity: Eliminate equity gaps and ensure that greater numbers o,f low-income individuals, racial and ethnical minority groups, and women participate in workforce training and higher education prog,rams in our Westerly, Woonsocket, and Central Falls higher education and industry centersAttainment: Advance the number of Rhode Is,landers with postsecondary degrees and credentials to reach a 70% attainment goal by 2025 (currently at 53%).RIOPC will pursue three, objectives to realize these goals. First, we will increase staffing to broaden our capability to provide workforce development and,higher education in STEM disciplines to meet U.S. Navy and defense industry supply chain employers workforce development and recrui,tment needs. Second, we will conduct targeted outreach to ensure that people from underrepresented groups and underserved communitie,s are included in workforce training and education opportunities. Third, we will equip a new hands-on teaching lab in Woonsocket in,northern Rhode Island, and at our current Westerly Education Center facility in southern Rhode Island, with information technology (,IT) and other STEM related tools necessary to serve career-bound students, and provide new training equipment in both regions to exp,and STEM opportunities. These activities will enable us to build and strengthen relationships with employers, educators, and communi,ties, in both northern and southern Rhode Island, where we will engage larger populations of veterans, women, minority groups, gradu,ating seniors, and unemployed and underemployed U.S. citizens. These partnerships will promote access to in-demand STEM careers by p,roviding higher education and workforce training opportunities that develop skilled personnel with expertise needed to build and mai,ntain a diverse STEM workforce for the U.S. Navy and related defense industries.Approved for Public Release
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 14, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212091
Entities
People
- Amy Grzybowski
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy