STEMCO The STEM Coalition

US First roboticsEdgewood ISD

Background: Pressures & the Workforce Ecosystem

Key Factors

What We Should Do

Next Steps and Q&A

What is STEM?

Technology

Science

Math

Engineering

What is STEMCO?

A broad based (currently) independent coalition

In long-term engagement to address STEM education and career pipelines

Mission

Enhance San Antonio’s global competitiveness through the collaborative

efforts of STEM educators, workforce systems, government and industry.

Assertions @ 100,000 feet

Regions that win in the global economy will succeed at long-term

transformation of their education and workforce development systems.

This will require a collaboration of education, academia, governments,

workforce systems, community leaders and industry.

The Workforce Ecosystem

Two-Year Colleges

Four-Year Colleges

Graduate ProgramsSummer

Programs

After SchoolPrograms

Assessment Services

Articulation Agreements

Policy

High Schools

Middle Schools

Magnet Schools

Academies

Cities

Counties

States

EconomicDevelopers

WorkforceBoards

INDUSTRY

Pressures on the Workforce Ecosystem

There are more Indian college

graduates than U.S. high school graduates.

There are more English speakers in China than in the U.S.

Other nations outpace U.S. in engineering graduates

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

220,000

240,000C

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Eu

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# of 1st degree in Engineering / Science

Source: National Science Board, “Science and Engineering Indicators – 2004”; Table 2-33. Russia, India and S Korea data from University of Texas NCR Report 2004

A National Conversation

“This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education … whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, (and) distinguish good information from bad …” Time Magazine, December 2006

Quoting the New Commission on the Skills of

the American Workforce

Texas Workforce Commission “Meeting Industries Critical Needs” Grant Wins

Dallas-Fort Worth 3

Houston 2

Austin 2

San Antonio 01!

Alamo Community Colleges and Northwest Vista College

win $470K to expand robotics summer camp region- and

state-wide.

The Key Observation

“San Antonio is growing in targeted clusters above the state

and national averages, but we are doing so despite the

preparedness of our workforce.”

Alamo WorkSource Industry Cluster Report

2005

Pressures on the Workforce Ecosystem

More Indian college graduates than U.S.

high school graduates

More English speakers in China than in the U.S.

“This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education … whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, (and) distinguish good information from bad …” Time Magazine, December 2006 Quoting the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce

Houston Community College organizing to graduate 500 bio-

technicians

Houston stands up Robotics Education Support Center

Arlington organizing to recover manufacturing base with state grants

Alamo WorkSource survey raises red flags about sustainability of San

Antonio’s growth.

Assertions @ 10,000 feet

There are innovative STEM programs everywhere you turn over a rock.

Alignment is always a challenge.

These programs are only loosely connected to industry support, workforce pipelines, regional

strategies and global best practices.

What Pockets of STEM activity?

• Alamo Area Aerospace Academy• Information Technology & Security Academy• Manufacturing Technology Academy• SpaceTEAMS• Edgewood Robotics Program• Information Technology Academy (Roosevelt)• Communication Arts High School• Health Careers High School• FIRST robotics competition• BEST robotics competition• TexPrep

• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ• XYZ

Pathway Continuous planning and assessment …

Pathway Continuous planning and assessment …

Pathway Continuous planning and assessment …

The New Education / Workforce Ecosystem?

Middle SchoolHigh School,

Magnet, Academy(or is it College?)

College / Workplace

COUNSELING

COUNSELING

HolisticAssess-

ment

Integrated courseworkand exploration

Master of the Obvious

We will have a competitive advantage if we work together. We will be at a

disadvantage if we don’t.

So what should we do?

Key Facts1. Global pressures are changing

the K12-Workforce landscape.

2. Pressures filter down to regions.

3. The “wins” are (mostly) regional.

Key Principles1. Region-wide strategies

This is a regional issue with regional motivators, but with global pressures and global best practices.

2. Long-term sustainment

3. A bias for action

4. Stakeholder education, top to bottom

Key Stakeholders1. K12 teachers, counselors and

administrators

2. College faculty and administrators

3. Workforce and Economic Development Professionals

4. Industry

5. Government

Key Questions1. How do we create a regional strategy

that essential stakeholders deeply buy into?

2. How do we translate that strategy into action?

3. How do we sustain action over the long term?

The Answer Has Always Been …

1. Create a framework for collaboration.

2. Give it leadership.

3. Celebrate front line innovators.

4. Educate stakeholders.

5. Engage stakeholders in defining strategies and actions.

6. Build in a bias for action.

7. Resource and motivate that action.

8. Review and refine; show results.

Need Our Proposed Action

Framework Create STEMCO

LeadershipRecruit leading citizens, core leaders, stakeholders

Celebrate front line innovators

Education

Engage in defining strategies and actions

Yearly symposium: “STEMCO 2007”

Bias for actionEmpower and resource teams based on mission and values.

Resource and motivate Through public recognition and funding.

Review and Refine; show results

Set high expectations for autonomous teams; fight institutionalization

STEMCOSymposium

LEADERSHIP

Mission and

Values

Conference Agenda

All Stakeholder

s

IDEAS

ACTION

NEXT YEAR

Option 1 -- STEMCO San Antonio 2007

Dr. Willard Daggett

“Once every year, thousands of America’s school administrators, teachers, parents, business leaders, and policymakers join together at one event for ideas and inspiration that place our children first. It’s the nation’s premier conference on K-12 education reform.”

Celebrate and give visibility to front line innovators

Stakeholder Education

Workforce System Alignment to Identified Local Clusters

Breakouts & Problem Identification

Urgency & Culture Change

Status and Next Steps

1. Create STEMCO.

2. Find a home (in progress).• Buy or build?

3. Build a steering committee (in progress).

4. Secure stakeholder & leading citizen support.

5. Secure funding – estimated $100K for Year 1.

6. Commit and go.

Signs of Success

1. Teachers deeply understand the global imperative.

2. STEM programs explore careers and feed pipelines in a formal way.

3. Industry influences curriculum and programs at every level.

4. Industry provides long-term financial and resource support. They will buy if something valuable is for sale.

5. These things are pervasive and systemic.

Do this and we will create a generation of kids who are “golden” in every way.

An inspired mind

An improved economic future

An ability to self-fund more education

A help in drawing high wage industry in jobs

A foundation for innovation & leadership

An agent of economic development

STEMCO The STEM Coalition

US First roboticsEdgewood ISD

PRESENTATION CREDITS

Dr. William DaggettInternational Center for Leadership in Education

Jim BrazellPresident, VentureRamp, Inc., www.ventureramp.com

Q&A

Is STEMCO yet another organization?

That depends. It could be an organization and/or a conference housed elsewhere. It can be anywhere there is big and innovative thinking.

Q&A

How do we keep this from just being another meeting?

We require leadership to set the tone and demand action. The conference must be designed around finding and taking action. Dollars and support must be available to resource the actions needed. There must be rewards for action and a culture of terminating inactive efforts.

We must recognize that short term solutions are an illusion.

We must find a way to initiate and sustain activity to

solve our education and workforce problems.

Q&A

How do you carry out this effort without staff?

You don’t. At most, we can run one conference without staff. Then we need resources to carry the conference forward. Even better, we engage at least an Executive Director in Year 1.