Langevin Lays out Path for Sustainable RI Job Growth at STEM Conference

As a featured speaker at a conference on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) emphasized the need to close the skills gap between industry needs and school curricula to provide better job opportunities in Rhode Island and growth that can be sustained in the years ahead. The remarks were part of an event at Rhode Island College’s STEM Center titled “From Problems to Solutions: We are the Essential Resource.”

Langevin, who co-chairs the Career and Technical Education Caucus, has made developing partnerships between Rhode Island’s education and business communities a top priority. He spoke about the need for better coordination between the two sectors to ensure businesses have a qualified talent pool from which to find employees, while students at Rhode Island schools have job opportunities to pursue in the state when they graduate. 

“I believe we must be creative and proactive about workforce development in our state, and that includes making sure educational opportunities are not only affordable and accessible for our students, but geared for the cutting edge fields of the 21st century, like biotechnology, renewable energy and cyber security,” said Langevin. “In order to strengthen the pipeline for these jobs, we need to engage all of our state’s schools, businesses, universities and other invested partners in a common goal. That is why this event today is so important: you have worked together on a STEM action plan for Rhode Island.”

The goal of the conference was to form a plan to address the problems of STEM-based jobs going overseas, a lack of trained workers in Rhode Island, and students not being adequately prepared. Other participants included Keith Stokes, executive director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, and representatives from local STEM businesses. Dennis Cheek, a former senior administrator with the Rhode Island Department of Education who lectures on educational leadership and work-based learning, spoke this morning.

Langevin referred to his efforts in the rapidly growing field of cybersecurity as one area in which Rhode Island can take the lead. Earlier this year, Langevin commissioned a Cybersecurity Symposium to help the state build on efforts at the University of Rhode Island to create jobs in a high-tech industry in great demand. He also started the Rhode Island Cyber Foundations Competition to help prepare youth to work in the expanding fields of cybersecurity.

“Cyber skills should be a core fundamental of the STEM fields, which are critical to improving our country’s innovation,” said Langevin, who co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. “Experts have estimated that the U.S. has less than 1,000 people with the advanced security skills to compete in cyberspace, but the reality is that we need 20,000 to 30,000. The cornerstone of this effort begins in the classroom, from our secondary schools to our colleges and universities.”

Langevin also highlighted his initiative to bring the arts community, which has a major impact on Rhode Island’s economy, into the STEM fields. His proposed “STEM to STEAM” Council would bring together artists, designers, education and business leaders, and federal agencies to facilitate a comprehensive approach to incorporate art and design into federal STEM programs. A recent study showed that in one year the arts community generated $111 million in economic activity and nearly 2,800 jobs in Providence alone.

“I will continue to encourage cooperation among businesses, educational institutions and our government agencies to create a talented and skilled workforce, and also create jobs that will keep these workers and students here in Rhode Island,” said Langevin. “But we must make an investment in STEM at both the state and national levels. 

“Rhode Island has the unique ability to take on small-scale, cutting-edge initiatives and act as a model for innovative ideas and partnerships. We have shown through our state’s history we have the ability to adapt to new challenges, and we will do that again.”