The possibilities for building and maintaining a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce need better explication to serve the needs of government, industry, and academia. Understanding the portfolio of Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives to educate STEM practitioners provides information that may benefit programs with similar goals. DoD’s requirement for STEM talent is particularly acute as it seeks to replenish and expand a workforce estimated at over 150,000 STEM professionals working as DoD civilians. In this presentation, we describe the findings from a portfolio evaluation of 50+ work experience programs (e.g., internships, scholarships, postdoctoral positions, and new hire incentives) that the DoD conducts to educate an estimated 5000+ participants annually. These programs are designed to inspire, cultivate, and develop students and early-career professionals. They use a variety of methods to attract participants, provide mentorship, and prepare students for a career as a STEM professional. The opportunities are broad, covering all types of STEM disciplines at multiple levels of education (high school, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate), conducted across the country. Approximately 75% of the programs recruit from a national pool of applicants, and some of the larger programs offer opportunities at 30+ sites (e.g., DoD facilities, university labs, and contractor sites) at locations across the country. There are also specialized programs that focus on a particular discipline such as cyber and artificial intelligence, center on a local community to attract talent to the area, or foster participation of students in traditionally underrepresented groups. A common outcome for participation at advanced educational levels is being hired after graduation. This paper will help inform others about options for engaging and developing STEM professionals for the workforce of the future, and how these programs can benefit both the participants and the organizations that conduct them.
Keywords
MILITARY LEARNING, STEM
Additional Keywords
workforce development