Spring STEM Career Fairs Held in the Greater St. Louis Area in March

By Carmelo Turdo

Spring STEM career fair season is in full swing for high school students across the greater St. Louis area, and here we highlight three events held over two days in mid-March. The Aero Experience partnered with the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation to participate in two of the three events, generating strong interest for the Intro to Flight program. We thank the STEM career fair sponsors and participants for providing these opportunities for the Foundation to share the vocational opportunities available in the aviation industry.

On March 13, the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation attended their third consecutive annual O'Fallon Township, IL High School Skilled Trades and Career Fair. The Foundation was joined by a wide variety of vocational training schools, labor organizations, first responders, military recruiters and aerospace product manufacturers eager to meet with the next generation workforce. Held in the school's Panther Dome, the event was available to students who rotated through at regular intervals between 10:00 A.M and 1:00 P.M. to visit with exhibitors. 

 

Also on March 13, an AIAA St. Louis Section event, STEM & the Navy in St. Louis, was held at the Boeing James S. McDonnell Prologue Room. Hosted by Dr. Kelly Remijan, the program included an outstanding panel of speakers from Boeing, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott AFB and special guests from the U.S. Naval Academy. Six Midshipmen were part of the Academy contingent, and it was a nice surprise to see them again the next day at the third STEM career fair featured in this post. 

Our third event, on March 14, was STEM314 Day at the Legacy Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing enrichment programs for students and continuing professional development for educators in the St. Louis area. Students from four area middle schools attended the event, which included exhibitors from youth organizations and local businesses providing STEM activities pertaining to their career fields. As mentioned above, the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen were there to guide the students through some fun science demos, and the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation attended their second event of the week. A special feature of this event was the hands-on drone flying sessions hosted by Yolandea Wood representing the Hugh J. White Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Intl. 

The remaining spring months will provide more opportunities to participate in STEM events, including the upcoming SOAR Into STEM sessions and Career Fair running March 30 through April 27 at Wings of Hope. Full coverage coming soon on The Aero Experience.