Growth Sector Company

TO CREATE REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE WORKFORCE INITIATIVES LEADING DISADVANTAGED YOUTH AND ADULTS TO HIGH WAGE, HIGH GROWTH JOBS.

GROWTH SECTOR WORKS WITH THIRTY COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACROSS THE COUNTY TO IMPLEMENT THE "STEM CORE" - A BRIDGE PROGRAM TO PREPARE AND SUPPORT REMEDIAL STUDENTS ON A PATHWAY LEADING TO HIGH WAGE, HIGH GROWTH JOBS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. THE STEM CORE INCLUDES ACCELERATED AND CONTEXTUALIZED MATH, COHORT-BASED LEARNING COMMUNITIES, INTERNSHIPS AND INTENSIVE SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT. GROWTH SECTOR DEVELOPED THE STEM CORE VISION, ENGAGED COLLEGES AND EMPLOYERS INCLUDING MULTIPLE NASA CENTERS AND DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FEDERAL LABORATORIES, STRUCTURED MODEL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AND, WITH SADDLEBACK, DEVELOPED A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL FOR FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD, GROWTH SECTOR BEGAN WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY FROM PARTNER COLLEGES TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM EXPECTED TO SERVE OVER 3,000 STUDENTS IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. GROWTH SECTOR CONTINUED ITS WORK IN DEVELOPING PATHWAYS TO ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR THE NATION'S REMEDIAL LEVEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS (70%-80% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION). PATHWAYS ARE BUILT ON THE STEM CORE, AN INTENSIVE YEAR LONG PROGRAM INTEGRATING NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES INCLUDING ACCELERATED AND CONTEXTUALIZED MATH, COHORT BASED LEARNING COMMUNITIES, INTRODUCTION TO STEM CAREERS, INTENSIVE STUDENTSUPPORT AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PAID INTERNSHIPS. GROWTH SECTOR CONTINUED TO COORDINATE AND OVERSEE INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS FOR STEM CORE STUDENTS. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2019, OVER 60 STEM CORE STUDENTS WERE PLACED INTO INDUSTRY INTERNSHIPS WITH PARTNER EMPLOYERS INCLUDING LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LAB, SLAC NATIONAL LAB, NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER, TRC SOLUTIONS AND OTHERS.GROWTH SECTOR ALSO CONTINUED THE BALTIMORE STEM CORE- BRINGING THE TENETS OF THE STEM CORE TO RISING SENIORS AT TWO BALTIMORE CITY HIGH SCHOOLS. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED MATH COURSES TAUGHT AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL BY BALTIMORE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY, COMPLETED INDUSTRY-MENTORED, HANDS-ON ENGINEERING PROJECTS, AND HEARD FROM LOCAL STEM PROFESSIONAL GUEST SPEAKERS. GROWTH SECTOR WORKED WITH FIVE REGIONAL HUBS TO EXPAND THE STEM CORE TO PARTNER COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, MARYLAND, AND WASHINGTON. GROWTH SECTOR ALSO WORKED WITH NUMEROUS NATIONAL ENERGY LABS TO DEVELOP INTERNSHIPS AND JOB PLACEMENTS FOR STEM CORE STUDENTS INCLUDING LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LAB, SLAC NATIONAL LAB, BERKELEY LAB, AND SANDIA NATIONAL LAB.