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Marymount University Launches Regional Workforce Initiative

 from the Marymount University blog:

Marymount University to lead regional tech workforce initiative with development of NOVATech Works Hub

Posted on January 14, 2026 by adauches

Marymount University has received a grant to lead the development of NOVATech Works, a new regional initiative designed to strengthen Northern Virginia’s technology workforce and create clearer pathways into high-demand tech careers. 

This project is funded in part by GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries.

The project positions Marymount as a central mover in one of the region’s most urgent economic priorities: preparing workers for jobs in emerging and rapidly evolving technology fields.

“As technology becomes more complex and interconnected, the workforce must also change,” said Dr. Diane Murphy, a distinguished professor in the Marymount School of Technology and Innovation who will serve as Project Director for the NOVATech Works initiative. “Many organizations are doing their bit to help in the needed reskilling and upskilling efforts. NOVATech Works will coordinate all these resources, so individuals can see all the options available for them through an AI-enabled hub and motivate them to stay in the area and

i2i FutureReady Career Exploration Event - March 11-12 - Register by January 9!

 EMPLOYERS SHOULD REGISTER
BY JANUARY 9 !!

See all details at https://virginiaedstrategies.org/instruction-2-industry/

 About the Conference

Today's Students are Tomorrow's Workforce!

The event runs March 11 & 12, 2026, from 10am to 1pm each day at Inova Conference Center in Fairfax, with a different group of students attending on each date! More than 1,600 high school students from eight school divisions in the northern Virginia region will attend this year’s Future Ready Conference!

Participating school divisions include: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Loudoun, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Prince William.

This dynamic two-day regional event connects students with over 125+ local industry professionals from high-demand career fields. Organized by career clusters, the conference allows students to explore related occupations, see how different career paths connect, and discover the skills and education needed for success.

Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation Work-Based Learning Opportunities

 Read details at
 www.childsci.org/get-involved/internship 

Internship Opportunities

The Youth Development Initiative strives to develop and implement successful
internships opportunities that provide students with the skills and experiences needed
to obtain and maintain employment. These internships utilize a combination of formal
instruction, mentoring, hands-on STEM experience, project based learning, and
continuous feedback. It is the Science Center’s vision to continue growing this program
into a gateway experience to internships and potential employment with local
companies with a focus on underrepresented populations. The Science Center’s Youth Development Initiative includes an extensive variety of internships and leadership programs for high school and college-aged youth. Since 2015, the Science Center has engaged over 300 interns through youth development programs in the community and at the Lab. For important questions, email internships@childsci.org.

The Science Center operates internship and leadership programs throughout the year:

• STEM Summer Camp Internship
• Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Internship
• Youth Advisory Board
• Animal Husbandry Internship
• Communications Internship

See details at  https://www.childsci.org/get-involved/internship 

What to tell your rising senior about AI and their future

 

Reposted from Substack:  Subscribe here for more A letter to teens about AI and jobs Some practical advice about what you should to be on the right side of disruption Alex Kotran Dec 9   READ IN APP   Episode six in our YouTube series, “Raising Kids in the Age of AI” focused on “Preparing kids for careers in an AI world.” It’s by far the most popular. That episode was tailored to parents, but I decided that I want to write something directly for the kids themselves on the topic. After all, Gen Z is probably more clued in to the growing chorus about the impact of AI on jobs than anyone else. A note to parents and educators: This letter is written directly to teens—specifically a rising senior in high school—but it applies to anyone wondering how to make decisions about their future. If you have a young person in your life navigating these questions, consider sharing this with them. Or read it yourself; the framing might help you give better advice. Either way, I hope it’s useful. Here’s the TL;DR: AI is real and will massively disrupt the job market right as you’re starting your career. But every industrial revolution has created more jobs than it destroyed. The key is being on the right side of the transition. The old playbook is dead: “pick the ‘safe’ major, follow the predictable path. Instead,

Regional Firms join NSF to Support NoVa Tech Trek Camp

 Virginia Tech Summer 2026 AI, Chip Manufacturing, and Physical Computing Camp - Potomac Yard Metro

Micor, Boeing and others are supporting the Virginia Tech BRICCS Team in a very advanced, NSF-sponsored camps this summer exploring Artificial Intelligence, Chip Manufacturing, and Physical Computing (Internet of Things) at Virginia Tech's Potomac Yard campus (Metro Blue/Yellow lines).

Ecosystem Launched by Virginia Tech, Arlington, and NVCC Gets National Recognition

 The Northern Virginia STEM Network began in 2007 as an informal network of CTE and other STEM educators with a focus on growing our own future workforce in Northern Virginia.  Many years later in 2021 the ecosystem was integrated with the DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia) STEM Learning Ecosystem led by our long-term collaborators at Morgan State University and continued through multiple extensions of their DSEC grant.  

When that DSEC funding ended in 2024 partners were encouraged by supporters at T.I.E.S. to go big for national recognition. Accordingly, they "re-branded" as NoVaWISE (Northern Virginia Workforce Innovations through STEM Education). but were later encouraged to keep the original name.  They are  looking for highly engaged leaders in technical industries, public school leadership, after-school and out-of-school innovators, and workforce development specialists.  

Virginia Tech is supporting the design of a new website.  Until then you can still catch them at www.NoVaSTEM.net or NoVaSTEM.blogspot.com.

Contact Jim Egenrieder (JimE@vt.edu) to get involved.