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State's Defense Initiative Links Colleges, Companies (Mass High Tech)
by Catherine Williams
Mass High Tech
Massachusetts state officials are playing matchmaker between higher education institutions and defense companies in an effort to grow defense-related jobs in the state. The courtship is intended to get contractors and university officials at the same table to discuss work force development.
Representatives from nine companies, including BAE Systems Inc. and Dynamics Research Corp., met with educators from Boston University and Middlesex Community College as part of a four-month project, led by the state's Executive Office of Economic Development.
With 85,000 jobs statewide tied to the defense industry, the goal of the initiative is to grow jobs, increase funding at local universities and colleges and train graduating students to be better prepared to work in the defense industry, said Ranch C. Kimball, state secretary of economic development. "If we can make Massachusetts an even larger, more vibrant, faster growing defense cluster, it's all to the benefit of spinoff companies," said Kimball. "We've seen it in information technology and biotech."
One local defense company is considering headquartering its global training center in the state as a result of the meeting, Kimball said, but he declined to specify which one.
Suzanne Daniels, business development director at BAE Systems IR Imaging, said her company competes with Raytheon Co. and Lockheed Martin Sippican for the same talent pool. Daniels says the company is looking for skilled engineers. Educators showcased their engineering curriculums and some offered to add courses as a result.
"We rely heavily on science and tech and the abilities of students graduating with science and technology degrees," said Daniels.
The local suppliers BAE relies on will benefit from the initiative. The more BAE grows, the more the subcontractors contribute to the business, Daniels said.
Both Boston University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute have existing custom programs for the defense industry. During the meetings, educators affirmed their ongoing efforts to help defense industry employers.
Judith Marley, assistant dean for corporate outreach at BU's Metropolitan College, said the college has been running MBA and information systems programs at Hanscom Air Force Base since 2003.
Stephen P, Flavin, dean of corporate and professional education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said 63 percent of WPI's 2005 graduates were hired by Massachusetts firms and added that Raytheon is the school's largest recruiter. WPI graduated its first class of 11 master's degree students through a joint degree program with Raytheon this year. Flavin says WPI plans to add a course on radio frequency in the fall.
The state-led project is still in its infancy and it's not clear whether these partnerships will translate into jobs.
Alan J. Macdonald is the executive director of the Massachusetts Defense Technology Initiative, which was born out of a federal initiative that threatened to close Hanscom Air Force Base and the Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick until a decision to keep them open was announced in May 2005. Macdonald worked with state officials and said the meetings are a good first step in keeping defense jobs in the state.
"It is a collective look at how to become even stronger so that Massachusetts remains No. 1 in breadth and depth of technology talent," he said.
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