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Washington, DC (April 17, 2012)--America needs a workforce skilled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and a notable group of companies and organizations is uniting to ensure that the nation gets the message. This summer, thousands of education, policy and industry thought leaders will convene in Dallas, Texas for STEM Solutions 2012, a groundbreaking leadership summit that will bring the best minds and best practices together on a national stage to open the conversation and develop solutions to the STEM skills shortage.
Among the STEM stakeholders who have signed on to get behind the Summit is Jobs for the Future (JFF). As one of the conference’s Co-chairs, JFF will provide topical input, expertise and support throughout the planning stages, as well as during the conference.
The organizers of STEM Solutions 2012 identified JFF as a change maker involved in shaping the economy’s future. JFF’s mission is to expand opportunity for youth and adults through education and training that lead to in-demand, family-sustaining careers. STEM pathways are effective in connecting youth and adults to careers that are in high-demand in many regions around the country. JFF’s STEM-related initiatives include:
Workforce Development in the Green Economy, teaching math and engineering skills to expand opportunities for employment in green sector jobs to low-income individuals.
- The Greenforce Initiative, in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation. This initiative is helping over 8,000 lower skilled and other nontraditional workers gain the education, training and experience needed to succeed in environment-related careers.
- GreenWays, providing high-quality workforce services to employers and workers seeking to advance their careers in the green economy. The initiative invests in 20 workforce partnerships across six diverse industry sectors.
STEM Early College High Schools, aimed at preparing young people for productive careers serving their region’s STEM workforce needs and reducing achievement gaps in high school completion, college preparedness and completion of STEM degrees.
- Massachusetts Early College STEM Initiative: By accelerating progress in high school, offering college course work and providing adequate supports in partnership with a postsecondary institution and other stakeholders, students are able to complete at least 12 credits of college work along with STEM career development opportunities prior to graduation.
- Metro Early College High School Profile: To support its Massachusetts STEM initiative, JFF prepared a profile of STEM early college high school participants. All of its graduates have been accepted to college and many have earned significant college credit prior to graduating.
According to Nancy Hoffman, vice president and senior advisor at JFF, “We are supporting STEM Solutions because proficiency in STEM fields and pathways to STEM careers are extremely important for our global competitiveness and the future of our youth.” Furthermore, “We also agree with the 2009 findings of the Commission on Mathematics and Science Education, convened by the Institute for Advanced Study and Carnegie Corporation of New York, which states ‘knowledge and skills from science, technology, engineering and mathematics are crucial to virtually every endeavor of individual and community life.’ All young Americans should be STEM-capable, no matter where they live, what educational path they pursue or in which field they choose to work.”
Event organizers, U.S. News & World Report, Innovate+Educate and STEMConnector™ have enthusiastically welcomed JFF’s involvement. “To say we were extremely pleased when Jobs for the Future signed on is an understatement,” said Brian Kelly of U.S. News & World Report. “Their deep-seated commitment to the STEM initiative, as well as their unique expertise and creative approach to finding answers, make them an invaluable addition to our leadership team. We are encouraged by their support and grateful for their many important contributions.”
To learn more about how you can help shape our nation’s future by participating in STEM Solutions 2012, visit www.USNewsSTEMSolutions.com. Furthermore, JFF has negotiated a special program rate for its network of contacts who register using code JFF029.
About Jobs for the Future
Jobs for the Future works with our partners to design and drive adoption of education and career pathways leading from college readiness to career advancement for those struggling to succeed in today’s economy.
www.jff.org
Twitter: @JFFtweets
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