From the Editors
Workforce technical development for the aerospace and defense community has become a national priority, with more government and industry groups raising alarms over the quickening pace of senior-level retirements and the decreasing pool of U.S. citizens graduating with science and engineering degrees. But while the national attention may be new, Aerospace—like many organizations in the national security space arena—has been dealing with the issue for a long time.
Recognizing the need to extend the technical capability of its workforce and prevent a shortfall in critical skill areas such as systems engineering and acquisition management, Aerospace established a formal in-house educational division in 1994. This division, The Aerospace Institute, leads educational initiatives at the corporation, offering employees opportunities to enhance their technical and professional skills and expand their career options. These workforce development initiatives and supporting resources have evolved throughout the years, and customers are increasingly looking to Aerospace for assistance in developing their own educational programs.
Systems engineering and systems architecting—skills in increasing demand—are two primary subjects being taught to both employees and customers. Aerospace has been supporting research that seeks to identify the essential qualities of successful systems engineers and architects, with an eye toward developing more effective ways of instilling and strengthening these traits.
Aerospace has always been eager to attract talented younger engineers and scientists. Through the Corporate University Affiliates Program, members of the Aerospace technical staff engage faculty and students at selected colleges and universities in collaborative research projects. This program has been effective in introducing students to the corporation, and frequently leads to internships and full-time positions after graduation.
Aerospace's educational approach harnesses the enthusiasm and dedication of its technical staff, who are typically eager to share their interest and expertise with colleagues. It's perhaps no coincidence, then, that many of the authors in this issue of Crosslink are also course instructors. Readers will also find a number of short profiles of Aerospace personnel in diverse roles and at various stages of their careers, who share their perspectives on the professional development opportunities available at Aerospace.
We hope you'll find this issue of Crosslink timely and insightful. It offers a glimpse at how Aerospace is helping to attract and develop the next generation of scientists and engineers to meet corporate, customer, and community needs.
