Today, at the second convening of the National Space Council, Vice President Kamala Harris is announcing new commitments from the U.S. government, private sector companies, education and training providers, and philanthropic organizations to support space-related STEM initiatives to inspire, prepare, and employ the next generation of the space workforce.
In order to address the challenges of today and prepare for the discoveries of tomorrow, the country needs a skilled and diverse space workforce. This is why the White House released the Interagency Roadmap to Support Space-Related STEM Education and Workforce. This Roadmap outlines the initial set of coordinated Administration actions to bolster our nation's capacity to inspire, prepare and employ a diverse and inclusive space workforce, starting with increasing awareness of the wide range of space careers, providing resources and opportunities to better prepare jobseekers for the workplace, and placing a focus on strategies to recruit, retain and advance professionals of all backgrounds in the space workforce.
In order to meet the current and future needs of a thriving space workforce, the public, private, and philanthropic sectors must work together. To magnify the Administration's efforts, the Vice President is announcing a new coalition of space companies that will focus on increasing the space industry's capacity to meet the rising demand for the skilled technical workforce. The new coalition's work will kick off in October 2022 and be anchored by Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. Other industry partners will include Amazon, Jacobs, L3Harris, Planet Labs PBC, Rocket Lab, Sierra Space, Space X and Virgin Orbit, and will be joined by the Florida Space Coast Consortium Apprenticeship Program and its sponsors, SpaceTEC, Airbus OneWeb Satellites, Vaya Space, and Morf3D.
The coalition, with the support of Aerospace Industries Association and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, will stand up three regional pilot programs in Florida's Space Coast, the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi, and Southern California, and collaborate with service providers such as community colleges, unions and others, to demonstrate a replicable and scalable approach to attracting, training and creating employment opportunities particularly for people from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in STEM jobs.
Additionally, federal agencies and the private sector have coordinated their efforts to promote space STEM education and workforce with the following commitments:
Federal Space STEM Resources for Educators
- "Your Place in Space" Online Resources Hub: Federal agencies and the Smithsonian Institute launched "Your Place in Space", a new website with free space-related resources for K-12 educators. The website also promotes career awareness through the Space Career Resource Guide which showcases space career opportunities across the United States Government and the diversity of the space STEM professionals.
- $1.25 million for After School Learning Centers: The Department of Education is providing $1.25M to support NASA's engagement in 21st Century Community Learning Centers which provide academic enrichment opportunities for students from under-resourced schools during after school hours.
- Military Space Careers Website: The Department of Defense will launch a space STEM careers page during World Space Week (Oct 4-Oct 12) to showcase career paths, increase awareness about military space career opportunities and will feature a U.S. Space Force member during its monthly DoD Innovators Spotlight Series in October.
- Artemis Moon Trees Educator Resources: The Department of Agriculture and NASA are announcing the Artemis Moon Trees Program with online educational resources to engage individuals learning about Moon Trees and inspire exploration of space careers. The agencies are collaborating on the next generation of Moon Trees, which will be grown from seeds which orbit the Moon via NASA's Artemis I mission.
- Artemis Educator Resources Hub: NASA released Artemis I STEM Learning Pathway educator resources hub and the LEGO Build to Launch Series, to explore the technology, STEM concepts and careers behind the Artemis I mission. NASA announced $4M for Space Grant Kids to bring the excitement of NASA to middle and high school students who are underserved and underrepresented in STEM.
Federal Opportunities for Hands-On Learning Experiences
- Space-focused Apprenticeship Accelerator: The Department of Labor will conduct a Registered Apprenticeship Accelerator focused on the space sector's skilled technical workforce -particularly critical manufacturing occupations-by the end of 2023. This Accelerator will bring together apprenticeship stakeholders, including employers, industry, labor, equity, and other workforce partners, to accelerate the use of Registered Apprenticeships to meet space industries' workforce needs and meet diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
- Partnership with University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez: University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez became a member of The Department of Defense's United States Space Force (USSF) University Partnership Program, which will enhance collaboration on research projects that further national security objectives in the space domain, and grow and develop a qualified, diverse, and inclusive space workforce. USSF through, the Air Force ROTC program, is increasing the value of scholarships for high school students to cover their full college tuition and fees.
- Research Funding for Existing NSF grantees: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is accepting applications from existing NSF grantees to support awareness of and preparation for space-related careers. These supplements will contribute to the development of a space workforce that reflects the diversity of America by increasing the participation of institutions, geographic regions, and communities currently underrepresented in space-related careers.
The following private sector companies and organizations join the Administration's actions to inspire, prepare, and employ the space workforce.
To inspire youth to pursue space STEM careers
- "Noggin's Space Place" Series: Noggin, Nickelodeon's standards-aligned media platform that reaches of millions of young children and families, will release Noggin's Space Place, a collection of animated and live action videos and resources during World Space Week, October 4-12, featuring children's questions for astronauts in the International Space Station, a special episode of Noggin Knows, and free educator guides to help teachers use the learning media.
- Mission Unstoppable to Feature Women in Space Jobs: CBS's weekly television show, Mission Unstoppable, produced by Hearst Media Production Group and Lyda Hill Philanthropies, with more than 1 million viewers, will feature four women with space-focused careers in October 2022 during its fourth season. Additionally, during World Space Week, Oct 4-12, Mission Unstoppable, on its social media platforms, will share stories of women, from diverse backgrounds, who contribute to the exploration, discovery, and application of space-related knowledge, including systems engineers, climate scientists, satellite maintenance technicians, astronomers, and solar physicists.
