Inaugural national STEM conference gets key support from Institute for a Competitive Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC.—America needs a workforce skilled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and a notable group of companies and organizations is uniting to ensure that the nation gets the message. This summer, thousands of education, policy and industry thought leaders will convene in Dallas, Texas for STEM Solutions 2012, a groundbreaking leadership summit that will bring the best minds and best practices together on a national stage to open the conversation and develop solutions to the STEM skills shortage.

Among the STEM stakeholders who have signed on to get behind the Summit is The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW). As one of the conference’s Co-chairs, ICW will provide topical input, expertise and support throughout the planning stages, as well as during the conference.

The organizers of STEM Solutions 2012 identified ICW as a change maker involved in shaping the economy’s future. As the voice of business in education, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce is committed to STEM education and understands the value of the dialogue and partnerships that will be created at STEM Solutions 2012. According to Cheryl Oldham, ICW’s Vice President, “The jobs of the future in every industry will increasingly demand that workers possess strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These are the very skills that are incubated in STEM education. Science and math education determines our nation’s capacity to innovate, which has been the backbone of the American economy since the Industrial Revolution. If we are to strengthen our economy, we must strengthen our STEM education system.”

Last year, ICW released A Case for Being Bold: A New Agenda for Business in Improving STEM Education [2], which encourages the American business community to use its credibility, political heft, and its role as the employer of America’s STEM talent to apply innovative and fresh thinking to America’s education system.

U.S. News & World Report, Innovate+Educate and STEMConnector™ have enthusiastically welcomed ICW’s involvement. “To say we were extremely pleased when the Institute for a Competitive Workforce signed on is an understatement,” said Brian Kelly of U.S. News & World Report. “Their deep-seated commitment to the STEM initiative, as well as their unique expertise and creative approach to finding answers, make them an invaluable addition to our leadership team. We are encouraged by their support and grateful for their many important contributions.”

To learn more about how you can help shape our nation’s future by participating in STEM Solutions 2012, visit www.USNewsSTEMSolutions.com [3]. Furthermore, ICW has negotiated a special program rate for its network of contacts who register using code ICW028.

The Institute for a Competitive Workforce is a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, promoting the rigorous educational standards and effective job training systems needed to preserve the strength of America's greatest economic resource, its workforce.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

www.uschamber.com/icw [4]          @uschambericw

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