A record crowd at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) U.S. Industry reception for the U.S. delegation at the Farnborough International Air Show at Kensington Palace. The organization supports the U.S. aerospace and defense business in many ways. Like most leading aerospace companies, AIA has a specific focus on developing the workforce of the future.  Erik Fanning, President, AIA said recently, “Without the right people we can’t push the envelope. And, without the right innovation we can’t attract and keep the brightest minds.”

How well the industry prepares the workforce – from secondary schools through universities and on through the existing workforce – for the new digital age will drive industry success. One of many initiatives AIA and others promote is the Rocketry Challenge for sixth through twelfth grades. Teams from Japan, the UK, and the U.S. will compete at Farnborough tomorrow.

It’s clear the industry attracts brilliant people who dedicated to creating the awe inspiring show we’re treated to at Farnborough this week. As the workforce retires that built the aircraft over the last 40 years, the new generation of engineers will lead a much more complex generation.   As technology increases, the need for a skilled workforce only becomes more crucial.

Fortunately, the industry is not complacent. Programs abound aimed at attracting more young people into Science Technology Engineering and Math to prepare them for future careers in Aerospace and Defense. You can experience two of them here tomorrow:

Dassault Systèmes’ Workforce Networking event, Friday, July 20 at 11am in our Chalet. If you’d like to meet our university partners and others focused on driving the Workforce of the Future, please join us in Chalet 9B.

Farnborough’s International Rocketry Challenge Final, Friday, July 20, from 9:00a to 05:00p, Stand: AIA Chalet, OE R3

Join us and network with your peers. Learn about our U.S. La Foundation.

And visit the Rocketry challenge. You may meet a future engineering leader.