The United States is experiencing an increasing shortage of engineers, especially in manufacturing and technology fields. A few reasons include universities graduating fewer home-grown engineers, caps on H-1B visas for foreign engineers, declining interest in the subject, and American students falling behind in math and science.
Ali Villalobos, the social impact lead for Skunk Works Lockheed Martin, works to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the Antelope Valley, Calif. She says encouraging students who might otherwise not think about math and science as vocations must start early.
“About 92 percent of boys and 97 percent of girls will lose interest in STEM if they’re not fully merged in it by about fifth grade. That’s early on. We usually think kids need to be in high school to really make college-style decisions about what they’re going to do with their future, but it really starts as early as elementary school. By that time if we haven’t already captured them and their attention, it just won’t happen,” said Villalobos.
Like many aerospace companies, Lockheed Martin encourages their employees to volunteer in schools, robotics, the Science Olympiad, and other activities that help grow the next crop of STEM workers to take their places.
“STEM is obviously a very important component to us. We’re very committed to inspiring and developing the next generation of STEM artists, scientists, technologists, engineers, mathematicians — everything, so we have a very robust outreach of programs we offer: scholarships to students pursuing some degrees, as well as internships, and we provide a lot of hands-on experience and mentorship,” said Villalobos.
One of Lockheed Martin’s favorite ways to take their enthusiasm to schools is Engineer’s Week, a national celebration of engineers and the contribution that they make to society held every February. “It gives us an opportunity to really recognize the work that engineers do, design, and develop —improving and innovating real world problems. We take our real-life engineers, go to classrooms and put on a presentation for them and give kids an opportunity to see someone who might look like them, and say ‘Hey, this is an engineer, and this is what an engineer looks like,’” said Villalobos.
Representation is important to recruiting future STEM workers, according to Villalobos. “Hopefully our engineers look like somebody in that room who can be inspired to do that job as well.”
In addition to engineers, there is also a need for people to bring their designs to life, which is why Lockheed Martin partners with Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, Calif. “A big part of developing this future workforce pipeline is the Aircraft Fabrication and Assembly Program. Not everyone’s going to college for a four-year degree, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t knock out a certificate and have an incredible career in aerospace where you can comfortably support a family, and raise them here in the Aerospace Valley, so all of that fabrication in that pipeline is just as important,” said Villalobos.
“STEM really isn’t just about what’s in the books and mastering clinical skills, which of course it is, but it’s also about having a very curious creative mindset and I think as long as we continue to encourage that in our kids we will be in a really good place in years to come,” Villalobos concluded.
