UCS, Sterling Heights team up to create Velocity Jr.

The City of Sterling Heights and Utica Community Schools will be teaming up to create a new educational partnership that business, industry, economic development professionals and educators hope will encourage students to pursue careers that meet the needs of today’s high-tech employers.

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) partnership between UCS and the city of Sterling Heights – called Velocity Jr. – is designed to create and sustain a workforce capable of filling current and future high tech job opportunities that will help Michigan’s economy grow.

The program is a complement to the economic development efforts housed at the Velocity Collaboration Center in Sterling Heights, a new center for business incubation and economic development, targeting defense, homeland security and advanced manufacturing.

Educators with UCS and city officials hope to achieve their goal through a variety of tasks that include:

• Integrating K-12 professional development with industry needs.
• Engaging industry in the development of meaningful student internships and mentorship programs.
• Promoting productive, skill-based training needed in high-tech manufacturing.
• Communicating to parents and students that the STEM program will provide jobs of the future and increase
  Michigan’s economic strength.
• Establishing industry relationships that encourage the development of STEM educational programs.
• Creating Michigan’s first dedicated STEM Center that will provide year-round STEM focused opportunities for
  K-12 students.
• Developing relationships with professional organizations to help fund STEM initiatives.

The partnership has already resulted in the establishment of Michigan’s first dedicated STEM center, which will be begin this summer at Rose Kidd Elementary in Sterling Heights.

Summer programming at Rose Kidd will include more than 15 different STEM-focused, affordable, one-, three- and five-day camps with working-parent friendly start and end times. Camp Invention, Western Michigan University, Oakland University, Lawrence Tech University and Macomb Community College will engage elementary and middle school students in fun, hands-on learning projects while they learn about industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, underwater robotics, race cars, metal casting and math. The programs will be available to all interested students in Macomb and neighboring counties through the UCS Community Education department.

“Talent is a key driver of economic growth,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Richard J. Notte. “We need more kids to pursue education and training in STEM-related career fields. There are jobs available right now and in the future for STEM graduates. This partnership helps to insure that our community can meet the needs of our current businesses and the businesses of the future. The STEM project looks to be a great way to fill that gap.”

“Velocity Jr. will provide the logical link in forming the foundation for our region’s future economic success,” Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns said. “Education is critical to creating the entrepreneurial spirit that is essential to our area’s success as the heart of innovation in STEM research and development.”

Backers of the STEM project say an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math in the classroom produce a great return on the investment, as half of the nation’s economic growth is generated by scientific research and development. For example, an increase of just 1 percent in the number of college graduates in Michigan would create an additional $1.8 billion in additional personal income across the state.

Finally, STEM proponents say the demand for college graduates in fields linked to STEM is expected to increase at four times the rate of other occupations. In Michigan, 62 percent of all jobs will require post-secondary education by the year 2018.

“In order to realize these benefits and develop future opportunities, there must be a concerted effort to establish and invest in programs that create an environment conducive to developing STEM talent,” said Denice A. Gerstenberg, business development manager for the city of Sterling Heights.

"Not only will there be jobs for students pursuing STEM-related careers in the future, but these jobs will be mortgage-sustaining jobs. In an increasingly knowledge based economy, talent is a valuable asset and businesses want to locate where they have access to a strong talent pool," she said. "This creates jobs for the community, decreases unemployment, increases the demand for housing, and helps our retail centers flourish. The STEM partnership is unique and can set the
standard for achievement and innovation by creating a workforce that grows the Michigan economy.”

Both the Sterling Heights City Council and the Utica Community Schools Board of Education have adopted resolutions of support.