Beginnings: preparing and advancing college engineering students for the aerospace workforce with experiential learning and research

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the University of Texas at Arlington $999,029 under the Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) beginning October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2028. The "BEGINNINGS: Preparing and Advancing College Engineering Students for the Aerospace Workforce with Experiential Learning and Research" project develops a community-college-university-industry workforce pipeline addressing critical aerospace sector employment challenges, including aging workforce demographics, skill gaps in emerging technologies, and limited career pathways for community college and veteran students. The initiative strategically leverages regional assets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, partnering with Tarrant County College District (TCCD), the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI), and industry partners including Recaro Aircraft Seating and Lockheed Martin.

The project delivers two primary educational mechanisms: a biannual 10-day cohort-based training program and a 2.5-month summer internship program serving community college students, university undergraduate students, and veteran trainees. Participants receive mentorship from academic and industry professionals across partner organizations. The developed workforce pipeline model is designed for national replication across the aerospace industry, addressing the Bureau of Labor Statistics' projected 6% annual employment growth in aerospace through 2033 while advancing national economic competitiveness and defense capabilities. TCCD functions as a key sub-grantee, contributing community college student recruitment and educational programming components to the collaborative pipeline initiative.

Abstract

The aerospace industry is vital to the U.S. Economy and national security, driving innovation, high-skilled employment, global competitiveness, and technological leadership. The bureau of labor statistics expects the aerospace industry to have an annual employment growth of 6% from 2023 to 2033. However, the aerospace workforce faces challenges including: 1) an aging workforce and knowledge drain, 2) skill shortages in emerging technologies, 3) education and training gaps, 4) limited pathways for community college students, and 5) high turnover rate and workforce retention issues. Acknowledging these challenges, this exlent beginning project aims to develop a community-college-university-industry workforce pipeline strategically located at the dallas-fort worth (DFW) area, one of the nation?S hubs for the aerospace industry. This project aims to build and strengthen an aerospace workforce pipeline connecting tarrant county college (TCC), the university of texas at arlington (UTA), the UTA research institute (UTARI), and recaro aircraft seating. All the sectors are local to the DFW area. The project is expected to 1) effectively align educational outcomes with workforce needs, 2) expand career access, 3) strengthen industry-academic partnerships, and 4) enhance aerospace literacy and outreach. The developed workforce model can be scaled nationwide for the aerospace industry, ultimately advancing national prosperity and welfare, and securing national defense. This project seeks to develop the aerospace workforce pipeline through a biannual 10-day cohort-based training program and a 2.5-month summer internship program. The trainees include community college students, university undergraduate students, and veteran students. All the trainees will be advised by academic and industry mentors from UTA, UTARI, TCC, recaro, lockheed martin, and ansys. The training and internship programs will leverage 1) AR/VR modules, 2) hands-on training, 3) project-based collaborative learning, and 4) real-world industry-driven immersive learning to equip the trainees with critical industry-tailored skills in aerospace composite manufacturing, non-destructive evaluation, testing, digital twinning, and AI-enabled aerospace technologies. Furthermore, this project will host open-house days to boost the public's aerospace literacy and stem interest. This exlent project will foster cohorts of students, veterans, researchers, and industry engineers to develop the aerospace engineering community collectively, reinforcing the U.S.?S leading position in aerospace and defense technologies. The exlent program, supported by the NSF tip and EDU directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.