May 19, 2008

Texas Workforce Commission Funds Summer Engineering Camp

The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded the Texas Tech University T-STEM Center $123,000 for summer camp opportunities for students ages 14-21 in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

The grant is part of Gov. Rick Perry’s Summer Merit Program, a $1 million effort to fund summer youth camps at 13 universities and community colleges across the state. The funded camps focus on careers in STEM education and support the governor’s initiatives to prepare Texas’ future workforce to compete for the high-skill, high-demand jobs of the future.

“Industries of the future will depend on and demand an educated workforce with a solid foundation in math, science, engineering and technology,” said Gov. Perry. “For Texas to remain truly competitive in a global economy we must begin today preparing for tomorrow.”

The T-STEM Center will use the funding to start a brand-new Engineering Camp for students to be held the last week of July on the Texas Tech University campus. This year’s camp will give students a chance to learn STEM skills and concepts as they design, build and launch their own high-flying rockets.