JA, Alcoa Foundation partner on global STEM initiative

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​The Alcoa Foundation has donated $750,000 to Junior Achievement Worldwide to launch a global curriculum that will bring enhanced science, technology, engineering and math education to middle and high school students.

Justine Coyne

Reporter- Pittsburgh Business Times

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The Alcoa Foundation has donated $750,000 to Junior Achievement Worldwide to launch a global curriculum that will bring enhanced science, technology, engineering and math education to middle and high school students.

The goal of the JA Assembling Your Career program is to encourage students to think about how their current skills and interests can translate into high-growth, high-demand careers.

The curriculum contains three interactive, STEM-focused activities that can be used by volunteers or teachers in the classroom as stand-alone activities, or an an enhancement to existing high school JA programs.

"The international job market is becoming increasingly dependent on qualified applicants with formal STEM education," Sean Rush, president and CEO of JA Worldwide, said in a statement.

Rush noted that recent data from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training shows that 85 to 95 percent of jobs will require STEM skills by 2020.

"Junior Achievement believes in the boundless potential of youth. Through our partnership with Alcoa Foundation we can bring customized STEM education and career readiness tools to youth and help inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers and manufacturers," he said.

Justine Coyne covers manufacturing and higher education.