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To meet the needs of the Naval presence in Southern Maryland, the region needs a robust workforce pipeline that identifies talented, young students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields and trains them to create a Smart Workforce. The Patuxent Partnership’s SoMD 2030 initiative  is set to do just that.

This initiative is focused on building up the region’s STEM pipeline, increasing career opportunities, and expanding partnerships with government, industry, and academia. The effort is funded by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aviation Division (NAWCAD) , and the Patuxent Partnership is executing the work under a Partnership Intermediary Agreement with NAWCAD.

The Patuxent Partnership works to advance education through STEM-based initiatives and to foster workforce development through an array of initiatives in Southern Maryland, working with educational institutions such as St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the College of Southern Maryland, and St Mary’s, Charles and Calvert County Public Schools, as well as other schools, industry, and NAWCAD. The funding is due to the continued efforts of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance , a group of volunteers working to protect the current and future economy of Southern Maryland.

“Primarily, we’re looking to connect high school students with apprentice opportunities and college students with a summer internship program,” said Jennifer Brown, SoMD Workforce Development Director. “We’re also raising career awareness and committed to developing and retaining the young workforce in the tri-county region.”

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