Providing Florida Students with Access to Real-World Learning Experiences

By Jennifer Cahill Erbacher, Senior Director of Media and Public Relations, Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Thirty high school students from Palm Beach Central High School in Wellington, FL, had a chance to connect their learning to the real-world on Feb. 17 as part of National Engineers Week. The students, who are all involved in their school’s Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Engineering Program, visited Lockheed Martin’s Palm Beach manufacturing facility where the company designs, manufactures, integrates, and tests manned and unmanned Underwater Vehicles for military and commercial customers around the world. For the students, it was a critical opportunity to understand how a world-leader in engineering applies the very concepts and skills the students are learning in their PLTW program, and engage in career exploration for their futures.

Lockheed Martin has partnered with PLTW across the country, providing more than $6 million since 2013 to fund schools’ PLTW programs, mentoring students, and providing real-world learning experiences like the one with Palm Beach Central H.S. students.

Over 300 schools across the state offer PLTW’s hands on, project-based learning in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, as well professional development for teachers. There are opportunities for all companies to partner with these schools on internships, mentoring, classroom speakers, and field trips. Doing so is not only beneficial to students, but provides value to companies as they expose students to job opportunities and help them develop the knowledge and skills employers need in a rapidly evolving technical world. To find a PLTW school in Florida near you, visit PLTW’s School Locator.