The Academies of Engineering (AOEs) came about through a partnership between NACME, the National Academy Foundation (NAF), and Project Lead the Way (PLTW). These academies are small learning communities that focus high school students on STEM careers. The AOEs are designed to help meet the increasing demand for qualified employees in the field of engineering.
By 2013, 110 AOEs are expected to open, sustaining more than 30,000 students, once fully enrolled.
See the full list of AOEs here.
The goals of the Academies of Engineering (AOE) are to:
- Recruit and encourage more high school students to choose careers in engineering and engineering technology.
- Increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the study of engineering.
- Prepare high school graduates to enter post-secondary engineering and engineering technology programs fully competent in required mathematics, science, and technical subjects.
Board Companies Support Academies of Engineering Nationwide
Companies represented on NACME’s Board of Directors, including 3M, AT&T, Bechtel, Boeing, BP, Dow Chemical, Exxon Mobil, HP, IBM, Intel, Malcolm Pirnie, Marathon Oil, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, are leading the way in support of the AOEs across the country. Board representatives currently serve 70 percent of the local AOE advisory boards, and provide students with priceless, real-world engineering experience through mentoring, career guidance, job shadowing and role models.
Other initiatives include collaborating with teachers on STEM projects, and offering professional development in engineering, math and science. Successful implementation of the pre-engineering strategy would not be possible without corporate support.