The 50th Annual Conference of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals took place in Chicago recently.
The event attracted 3,000 aviation professionals, students and industry leaders who attended to celebrate five decades of legacy and leadership.
However, welders, electricians, machinists, and other workers who apply advanced knowledge and technical skills in their work are in short supply.
Last week, NASA announced that approximately $10.5 million has been awarded to help strengthen and streamline the state-level routes into skilled technical positions in the aerospace sector.
Over the next three years, seven institutions will develop programs to build the key skills recognized by industry leaders, make the various career paths clearer by means of education and apprenticeships, and link employers with job seekers.
The institutions that have been awarded funding include the Antelope Valley Community College District in Lancaster, California; Georgia Tech Research Corporation; Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; Southern Utah University; Space Florida; the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupation Education; Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado; and the Texas Space Commission.
The awards are part of the NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs initiative, known as the NASA State Hubs.
The newly funded NASA State Hubs, which are spread throughout seven states, will act as strategic organizers to bring together industry employers, community colleges, the career and technical education programs of high schools, and the workforce systems in order to help get students into high-demand technical jobs.
The Office of STEM Engagement provides the cooperative agreements for the NASA State Hubs through its Next Gen STEM Project.
The Office of STEM Engagement furthers NASA's mission by increasing the country's research capacity, developing technical expertise, and promoting involvement in aerospace fields.
The Next Gen STEM project extends this effect by preparing students at high school and at community college for future careers in aerospace through strategic partnerships and competitive awards that help build the essential skills needed to enable our Golden Age of exploration and innovation.
Elaine Ho, associate administrator in the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA, stated that "the demand for technical talent is already pressing and will only increase as we bring humanity back to the Moon and aim for Mars and beyond," and added that "NASA is in a unique position to act as the catalyst and organizer that speeds up the development of America's aerospace workforce and helps produce the next generation of technicians."
This investment in the state-level ecosystems is intended to speed up the creation of technical roles in order to meet the space industry's demand for talent.