AIA | Election 2008 Issues

Keeping America Strong: Advance U.S. Global Leadership in Aerospace and Defense

National Security: Keeping America Safe

U.S. Navy Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Cassidy Norman

fast facts

27 percent of the U.S. aerospace technical workforce will be eligible for retirement in 2008.

55,000 engineers graduate from American universities each year in aerospacerelated fields.

A single U.S. aerospace company predicts a need to hire 10,000 engineers annually for the next five years.

Challenge #3: Inspire the nation's future workforce by motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The most important ingredients in our nation's defense are the American people, and not just those in uniform. The scientists, engineers, machinists, teachers, and others who contribute to America's industrial innovation and strength are the key to our national security.

We need to recruit, train, motivate, and retain today's — and tomorrow's — high-technology workforce. We need to invest in their success from cradle to retirement and provide the proper environment for these talented people to be innovative and productive.

This begins in our local education systems, but it doesn't end there. Given the importance of our workforce, a national partnership between the private and public sectors is essential to encourage, incentivize, and nurture young Americans to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Challenge #4: Create a 21st century acquisition process that gives our military personnel the best equipment at the best value for the taxpayer »