PMI-LA Events

--->(PLEASE DO NOT REGISTER, UNLESS YOU PLAN TO ATTEND)<---

Shepherding a Paradigm Shift of Next Gen Aerospace Pioneers

Preparing the next generation of space explorers! Paving the path for future careers in the space industry will no longer be as easy as drawing a straight line between two points. Having a clear vision of where a person wants to be is the most important element. The steps to get there are less predictable. Being a teacher and a mentor is a delicate dance between the desires of the student, their parents, and lastly what is possible. The student's path to the ultimate goal of working in the Aerospace industry will most likely be unpredictable and resemble very little what it started out looking like. It doesn't mean that they have failed.

As a young person, working odd jobs along the way that are seemingly a useless waste of time rarely is indeed a waste of time. Close to everything a person has done in life in this regard was rarely a waste!  Unexpected jobs have produced on-the-job training learning a new skill that ordinarily they would not have thought to be trained in. Working in jobs where there is on-the-job training exposes a young person to learn a different skill and be exposed to experiences that assist that person in learning more about themselves, what they enjoy doing, and where their natural abilities are. Keeping an open mind and being willing to be out of their comfort zone to learn something new and unfamiliar is the best way to prepare for life.  Having many experiences in the work environment builds confidence in a young person to grow and even thrive before they have mastered a skill.  To be willing to function out of their comfort zone productively, be willing to take risks, and operate with some unknowns is the key to success.  However, the most critical lesson is to operate under the umbrella that Failure is an Option, quitting is not. And to embrace the experience of failure because that is where deeper knowledge is.

The academic path and higher education is not always the obvious career path to success in the Aeronautics or Space industries. Trade schools are now reclaiming their place at the table. Hard skills such as Metalworking, Mechanics, or Woodshop are being looked at with fresh eyes. The bigger surprise is skill-training in fields such as gardening, industrial crafts, and cooking. These are also useful skills that promote working with a person’s own hands, engaging in creative problem-solving. Because of this truth, the industry will be more accessible to nontraditional interests and unexpected candidates. And the space industry will look more attainable to a wider range of talent. It's casting a larger net over a more diverse, viable, creative workforce of the future.

Training in engineering design principles is valuable training for life in general. The skills you learn and apply in engineering and design can be applied in every aspect of life. Design, Test, Failure, Evaluate, Redesign, Retest are concepts that should be taught in every classroom.  Unfortunately, this runs counter to the structure of what the classroom resembles today.

Speaker

Andrea Diamond is an accredited NASA educator and Executive VP of Education for STEAM ENRICHMENT Inc. which has garnered recognition as The Best Art Studio in Thousand Oaks, California, and was voted Best Enrichment Program in Conejo Valley. Her unique brand of curriculum and delivery of Mission-based
content has won numerous awards from the State Assembly & Legislature, the Department of Interior, and the Department of Energy. Andrea stresses the process shared by Artists, Designers & Engineers with her "Hands-On Brains-On approach. The emphasis is always on the fact that Failure is Key to Deeper Learning.

She has presented her novel methodology with positive feedback at peer conferences for educators, school administrators, and women in business. She currently serves as an elected member of the Endeavour Institute's Board of Directors since December 2011. Andrea currently spends her summers
at UC Riverside Astrophysics Dept. in Nanoscience, making Graphene and has a Certification in Nanotechnology Education at UCLA.

As an accredited NASA educator Andrea is a Mars Subject Matter Expert and holds multiple certifications on Meteorite Lunar Regolith. Andrea is a recent graduate of NASTAR Teachers Institute, Texas A & M Geoscience GCamp & The Space Foundation Teacher Institute. Certified Instructor TMRA- Texas Mineral Resources Association. Teacher Advisor Liason Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens.

Agenda

• 7:30 - 7:45 Networking, and PMI Announcements
• 7:45 - 8:45 Presentation
• 8:45 - 9:00 Q&A

PDUs

• 1 PDU - Leadership Category - will be awarded to the attendees. No further action is required by members.

Price

• FREE

Location & Parking

Online - Meeting participation information will be provided through your registration confirmation email.

Questions, Suggestions, Volunteer Inquiries

Contact the Pasadena Team at pasadena@pmi-la.org