SPACE FOUNDATION
CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND EDUCATION
Space for You. Space for All.
Center for Innovation and Education, a division of Space Foundation, is a lifelong learning platform for the global space ecosystem that delivers workforce development and economic opportunity for students, teachers, entrepreneurs and professionals via programs offered digitally worldwide or at Discovery Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Careers in space exploration and space-inspired industries are available to all demographics and skill sets — STEM and non-STEM — and thousands of space technology patents are available for commercialization by entrepreneurs and small businesses fueling a deep and rich supply chain.
Through its Workforce Development Roadmap, Center for Innovation and Education details five core disciplines designed to combat the obstacles standing in the way of building a sustainable workforce: 1) awareness, 2) access, 3) training, 4) connections and 5) mentorship.
Leveraging Space Foundation’s partnership model, Center for Innovation and Education brings together business, government, education and local community constituencies through partnership, sponsorship, fundraising and grants to serve the entire life cycle of the workforce — from student explorations to professional careers.
The following programs — for sponsorship and regional deployment throughout the world — are designed to enhance the outlook and opportunities for new jobs, careers and new business ventures in the space ecosystem:
- Space Commerce Entrepreneurship Programs
- New Generation Young Professional Program
- Professional Teacher Training
- Space-Inspired Curriculum
The Center for Innovation and Education brings these constituencies together in partnership, sponsorship, fundraising and grants to serve the entire life cycle of the workforce – building the professional workforce of today as well as the next-generation workforce of tomorrow.
Learn more about the Center for Innovation and Education
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Space Foundation supports Pre-K through 20 students with standards-based curriculum that uses space principles to integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in laboratory, classroom and after-school settings.
Space Foundation’s New Generation initiatives target aerospace professionals 35 and younger. The program fosters meaningful, long-term peer relationships by providing access to top space leaders through program opportunities at Space Symposium and throughout the year.
Space Foundation offers space commerce training workshops and a related webinar speaker series. These workshops and webinars provide key insights to address the most common challenges in establishing or expanding space-based technology companies.
Space Foundation provides unique and exclusive membership programs for individuals and corporations to connect and participate with the greater space community.
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DONORS ARE MISSION ESSENTIAL
Your support enables education and workforce development programs for students and teachers, young leaders, entrepreneurs, and space professionals.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE
CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND EDUCATION
Driving Workforce Development and Economic Opportunity
THE SPACE ECONOMY
Opportunities
- Space infrastructure and technologies touch every facet of life.
- $415B global market (2018) with expected growth to $1-3T by 2040.
- 80+ nations operating in space.
- US Space Economy: Commercial Business 80%, Government 20%.
- Median salaries are 50% above median household income.
- Opportunities now accessible to everyone: scientists to laborers.
- 1,000s of space tech patents are available for commercialization.
"There is no better time to be a part of the Space Economy"
~Tom Zelibor, CEO Space Foundation
THE SPACE ECONOMY
Challenges
Workforce Shortage
- Open jobs exceed unemployed workers in space industries.
- Baby boomers are retiring leaving large employment gaps.
- Untapped workforces: minorities, women, vets, and retirees.
Skills Deficit
- Perceptions of the space industry cannot be limited to astronauts.
- Traditional education needs to integrate space into daily core curriculum.
- A culture for lifelong learning, upskilling, and reskilling must be adopted.
Innovation Gap
- NASA patents await entrepreneurs to commercialize (tech transfer).
- Enterprises rely on space-based technology suppliers (tech insertion).
- Workforce diversity is a missing source of new ideas.
THE SPACE ECONOMY
Obstacles
Limitations of Our Educational System
- Space technology is not integrated into daily core curriculum.
Missing Demographics
- Women, minorities & veterans are underrepresented.
Lack of Lifelong Learning from Career Entry to Exit
- Continued education, training, and upskilling are ad hoc.
Absence of Mentoring and Role Models
- US youth want to be YouTube influencers, not astronauts.
CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND EDUCATION
Who We Serve
Building Today’s Workforce: professionals
- Global space agencies - workforce development initiatives
- Governments - policy education and advocacy
- Space professionals - corporate membership and mentoring programs
- Small businesses — custom-designed training
- Entrepreneurs — space commerce workshops
- Young professionals - leadership and mentoring programs
Building the Next Generation Workforce: students
- Communities - space-inspired STEM events
- Teachers and educators - professional development
- Junior space entrepreneurs - real world inspiration and mentoring
- PreK-20 students - immersive live and online space-inspired experiences
CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND EDUCATION
How We Work
Space Foundation inherently understands the implications of space technology innovation on workforce development and economic opportunities, both looking toward space exploration and looking toward industries serving the needs of daily life of Earth.
The Center for Innovation and Education engages students, young leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals via a Workforce Development Roadmap along five core disciplines that define our approach to building a sustainable workforce:
- Awareness of space impact and economic opportunity
- Access to jobs, careers and business ventures for all people
- Training for lifelong learning of sustainable skills
- Connect to a vast network of people, businesses and resources
- Mentor young leaders to be next-generation role models
JOIN US: Center for Innovation and Education
Learn how you can be a part of the growing Space Economy.