Campbell County Public Schools (VA) pilot a novel middle school STEM lab with manufacturing focus.
RUSTBURG, Va., Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The U.S. manufacturing sector faces a massive skills shortage. Over the next decade, four million manufacturing jobs will likely be needed, and 2.1 million are expected to go unfilled. America's maritime industry alone will need to hire 250,000 skilled workers over the next 10 years to meet the U.S. Navy's growing demand for submarines and surface ships. stem+M helps address the crisis by introducing middle school students to manufacturing careers.
BlueForge Alliance (BFA), and Diversified Education System (DES), in support of the Navy's Maritime Industrial (MIB) Program, have partnered to bring the stem+M program to Campbell County Public Schools. This program is part of a larger mission to promote manufacturing careers and technologies that support maritime industry and shipyards. The goal for MIB educational programming is to create continuous learning pathways from K-12 and beyond. Campbell County is less than an hour from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program in Danville, VA. Campbell County Public Schools is thrilled to announce the pilot of an innovative stem+M (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics + Manufacturing) program designed to ignite curiosity and foster hands-on learning among middle school students. This cutting-edge initiative aims to equip students with essential 21st-century skills through interactive projects and real-world applications, highlighting the value and importance of manufacturing careers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023 alone an average of 621,000 US manufacturing jobs went unfilled. With a growing demand for stem+M careers nationwide and in the Lynchburg area, Campbell County Schools is committed to providing students with early exposure to these dynamic fields. The program will feature topics including tools and measurements, composites, engineering and design, automation including electronics and robotics, additive and traditional subtractive manufacturing, and structural science. The learning pathways enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills through hands-on discovery and experimentation. The curriculum and hands-on activities also reinforce many math and science concepts.
As Andrea Rice, a stem+M teacher at Altavista Combined School, shares, "The stem+M program has been an exciting new addition to the courses. It has not only provided a "real life " experience for the students who may see themselves in these manufacturing careers; it has also given all participants an opportunity to collaborate ideas, work as a team, and communicate effectively in a working professional manner. It is definitely one path to future success for our students."
stem+M is a national program developed to introduce 7th and 8th grade students to manufacturing careers, technology, and skills. In the winter of 2025, the stem+M Program was piloted at Altavista Combined and Rustburg Middle Schools. In the fall of 2025, the program will expand to Brookville Middle and William Campbell Combined Schools. Visit www.stem-m.com for more information.
Media Contact
Allison Heider, stem+M, 1 5406877060, [email protected], www.stem-m.com
SOURCE stem+M
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