Representative Elizabeth Esty teamed up with California Republican Steve Knight last week on legislation aimed at attracting more girls to consider careers in the aerospace industry.
“We simply cannot meet our aerospace workforce needs unless we empower and equip more young women to enter this exciting field. We need to provide careers – not just jobs – for women in Connecticut and throughout the country,” Esty said.
“Creating a large and diverse pool of talent for our aerospace industry just makes sense,” said Knight, who also serves on the House Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Committee. “When we engage girls at a young age and show them the possibilities of careers in STEM fields, it sparks a lifelong passion for science and discovery.”
The Women in Aerospace Education Act [H.R. 4254] seeks to encourage universities that participate in the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program to incorporate aerospace engineering working and learning experiences at the National Laboratories and NASA Centers into their student’s teacher training experience.
Under existing law, Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grants are used by universities to cover the cost of STEM-degree students who go on to teach in rural or lower-income school districts. By involving them in aerospace, Esty and Knight say the future teachers may inspire their own students to pursue such a career.
