Building the Aerospace Workforce of the Future through NASA Space Grant

As the needs of the aerospace industry evolve, higher education needs to evolve along with it. In addition to looking at degree pathways in two- and four-year institutions, development and expansion of training, research and project opportunities for students outside the classroom are equally as important. Engaging undergraduate students early in hands-on, experiential learning is critical to the retention of students, particularly those traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. NASA Space Grant, represented in every state in the US, is well poised to lead the way in evolving the student experience for the science, research and engineering aerospace workforce of the future. This talk will focus on the current strategies and programs developed in Colorado through the Colorado Space Grant Consortium.

 

Colorado has the 2nd largest space economy in the United States, with over 500 companies and 190,000 people employed. All of this without a NASA center or facility in the state. However, there is another kind of NASA presence here that impacts the entire state and that is NASA’s Colorado Space Grant Consortium (COSGC). Formed in 1989, COSGC engages over 500 college students and faculty each year from 22 institutions of higher education (two- and four-year) across Colorado with authentic and space related projects tied directly to NASA’s goals and Mission Directorates. COSGC directly supports the needs of Colorado’s ever-growing space industry by providing a workforce of experienced graduates from all around the state ready to engage in the many space-related projects centered here. Colorado space companies see the value of COSGC’s students to their workforce needs and partner with our affiliate campuses providing mentorship and project sponsorship. COSGC plays a vital and significant role to not only NASA and Colorado, but to the students we strive to serve each year. Our number one goal is to engage all students from all backgrounds, all areas of interest, and all areas of Colorado in the important work of NASA. COSGC seeks to show every student that they have a place in space, whether they are in a STEM major or not. NASA needs everyone to achieve its goals and COSGC is a safe place for all students across the state to discover their place and role to play in the future of space. COSGC is building the workforce of the future.