US$4.5 Million In ‘STEM Talent Challenge’ Grants Awarded To 11 Organizations To Bolster STEM Workforces In Technology Innovation Sectors

By Cyber Era NG Special Correspondent

Today, the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the 11 grant recipients of the STEM Talent Challenge, a national competition that supports programmes to train science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent and fuel regional innovation economies across the nation.

A total of US$4.5 million in STEM Talent Challenge awards will fund programmes that create pathways to good-paying STEM careers, complements regional innovation economies, and builds talent pipelines for businesses to fill in-demand jobs in emerging and transformative sectors.

“The STEM Talent Challenge helps communities leverage their greatest asset – people,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “We are thrilled to partner with these 11 grant recipients to strengthen training programmes and apprenticeship opportunities that will ensure that individuals can build careers in STEM fields in their own communities. The industries of tomorrow need a robust talent pool. This programme builds on EDA’s mission of seeding the emerging and critical industries of tomorrow, and ensuring that we are strengthening a workforce that can propel these sectors to success.”

The STEM Talent Challenge grant recipients are:

Austin Community College District (Austin, Texas) – STARS Training Programme (Semiconductor Technician Advanced Rapid Start)

Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio) – Advancing Regional Talent in Smart Technology Enabled Manufacturing

CodePath (Atlanta, Georgia) – Pathway to Tech in Atlanta

Electrical Training Institute (San Diego, California) – Resilience in a STEM Economy (RISE) Program

Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas (Kansas City, Missouri) – Bridge to Technology and Careers in Greater Kansas City

Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, New Jersey) – High Schools of the Future

Middlesex Community College (Lowell, Massachusetts) – Industry-Integrated Computer Aided Design Expansion Program

St. Petersburg College (St. Petersburg, Florida) – Geospatial/Artificial Intelligence (AI) STEM Training Program (GSTP)

South Texas College (McAllen, Texas) – STEM Registered Apprenticeship Program

University of Arkansas System (Fayetteville, Arkansas) – BioAR Train Biomanufacturing Workforce Initiative (BTBWI) Washington State University (Pullman, Washington) – Washington’s High-Demand Advanced Civil Engineering Workforce Development