Eleven programs across the U.S. that provide science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce training have been awarded a total of $4.5 million in funding. The funding comes from the 2023 STEM Talent Challenge, a national competition overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The funding will support programs that train STEM talent and fuel regional innovation economies across the nation.
“Through the STEM Talent Challenge program, we’re making substantial investments in communities across the country to encourage innovation, create opportunities, and build local workforce pipelines in everything from semiconductor manufacturing to AI development.”
— Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
The competition provides up to $500,000 in funding for programs that complement their region’s innovation economy, create pathways to good-paying STEM careers, and build talent pipelines for businesses to fill in-demand jobs in emerging and transformative sectors.
“As part of the Biden Administration’s commitment to investing in America, we are making sure workers have access to the skills and training they need to get good-paying jobs in growing STEM industries,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Through the STEM Talent Challenge program, we’re making substantial investments in communities across the country to encourage innovation, create opportunities, and build local workforce pipelines in everything from semiconductor manufacturing to AI development.”
“The STEM Talent Challenge helps communities leverage their greatest asset – people,” said Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “We are thrilled to partner with these 11 grant recipients to strengthen training programs and apprenticeship opportunities that will ensure that individuals can build careers in STEM fields in their communities. This program builds on EDA’s mission of seeding the emerging and critical industries of tomorrow, and ensuring that we are strengthening a workforce that can propel these sectors to success.”
The 11 awardees, selected from a pool of 90 applicants, will leverage an additional $4.7 million in matching funds from a variety of private and public sector sources. The grantees’ projects support work-and-learn programs to increase America’s STEM-capable workforce in the emerging and transformative sectors such as aerospace, biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, data science, geospatial, artificial intelligence, information technology, and advanced manufacturing.
Below, watch Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Castillo announce the 11 organizations that will receive the 2023 STEM Talent Challenge grants.
2023 STEM Talent Challenge Grant Recipients
Austin Community College District: Austin, Texas
Project: STARS Training Program (Semiconductor Technician Advanced Rapid Start)
Grant Amount: $364,548
Bowling Green State University: Bowling Green, Ohio
Project: Advancing Regional Talent in Smart Technology Enabled Manufacturing
Grant Amount: $332,828
CodePath: Atlanta, Georgia
Project: Pathway to Tech in Atlanta
Grant Amount: $500,000
Electrical Training Institute: San Diego, California
Project: Resilience in a STEM Economy (RISE) Program
Grant Amount: $496,693
Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas: Kansas City, Missouri
Project: Bridge to Technology and Careers in Greater Kansas City
Grant Amount: $499,196
Liberty Science Center: Jersey City, New Jersey
Project: High Schools of the Future
Grant Amount: $500,000
Middlesex Community College: Lowell, Massachusetts
Project: Industry-Integrated Computer Aided Design Expansion Program
Grant Amount: $409,410
St. Petersburg College: St. Petersburg, Florida
Project: Geospatial/Artificial Intelligence (AI) STEM Training Program (GSTP)
Grant Amount: $323,832
South Texas College: McAllen, Texas
Project: STEM Registered Apprenticeship Program
Grant Amount: $283,262
University of Arkansas System: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Project: BioAR Train Biomanufacturing Workforce Initiative (BTBWI)
Grant Amount: $493,521
Washington State University: Pullman, Washington
Project: Washington’s High-Demand Advanced Civil Engineering Workforce Development
Grant Amount: $252,933
