Harris : AIA, Harris Corporation Host Florida Aerospace and Defense Workforce/STEM Summit

Organizations join government and academia in collaborating to inspire and build the aerospace workforce of tomorrow.

The Aerospace Industries Association and host company Harris Corporation convened a two-day summit Wednesday aimed at inspiring and building Florida's aerospace workforce of tomorrow and promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education strategies.

'This forum provides a tremendous opportunity to address Florida's aerospace and defense workforce needs,' said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. 'We must do our utmost to inspire and recruit the next generation of scientists and engineers. Our industry has great potential to create new high-skill, high-wage jobs, but it takes the right kind of people to create the innovations and ideas that keep our industry vibrant long into the future.'

The two-day summit brings together key stakeholders from government, industry and academia to discuss issues, trends, ideas and best practices for recruiting the best available talent to the aerospace and defense industry. The summit is featuring panels with keynote speakers across all areas of interest, including leaders from major Florida universities and K-12 education around the state. In addition, a number of AIA member companies are offering local tours of facilities to showcase the exciting jobs in our industry.

'Aerospace and defense companies create exciting innovations and offer young scientists and engineers tremendous, high-paying career opportunities,' said Harris Chairman, President and CEO William M. Brown. 'This summit provides industry, education and government organizations an opportunity to identify new ways to help foster innovative minds and attract them to this vibrant, growing sector.'

'We'd like to thank Harris Corporation for hosting this summit, and sponsor companies Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Rockwell Collins and Larsen Motorsports,' Melcher said. 'They are rightly proud of their role in helping ensure that aerospace and defense companies in Florida help make our country stronger, more secure and more prosperous.'

The aerospace and defense industry employs more than 70,000 people in Florida and accounts for approximately 10 percent of the state's exports and 1.3 percent of its GDP. To continue to be the leading nation in space technology and capabilities - much of which is developed in Florida - the U.S. needs to inspire future talent to join our industry.

Information about the summit program, panels and speakers is at this link.

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CONTACT:
Dan Stohr
Aerospace Industries Association
(703) 358-1078 office
(703) 517-8173 mobile
dan.stohr@aia-aerospace.org