By Frank Flaherty
On Thursday, September 4, the PA Chamber will host its inaugural Engineering Summit at Lockheed Martin’s facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. This timely and impactful event is being held for an important reason – it will bring together educators and public and private sector leaders to address one of Pennsylvania’s most pressing workforce challenges: the engineering talent shortage.
It’s a fact: Pennsylvania employers—from advanced manufacturing to aerospace, infrastructure to energy—are facing increasing difficulty finding qualified engineers to fill critical roles. Yet, at the same time, our world-class colleges and universities continue to produce highly skilled graduates who too often leave the state for opportunities elsewhere – an issue referred to as “brain drain.” The Engineering Summit aims to reverse this trend by fostering stronger connections between the producers (schools) and consumers (employers) of engineering talent, with the goal of encouraging them to remain in Pennsylvania post-graduation.
A highlight of the day’s agenda will be a dynamic panel discussion, titled “Classroom to Career for Engineers: Aligning Policy, Education, and Industry.” As moderator, I’ll be joined by educators, employers and policy experts to explore how Pennsylvania can better align its government policies and educational programs with evolving industry needs.
The panelists will share practical strategies for scaling partnerships between industry and higher education, including collaborative curriculum development, co-op and internship programs, and joint research initiatives. We’ll also discuss how to upskill talent to meet the demands of emerging technologies, and how to ensure students graduate with both the technical expertise and the requisite transferable skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce.
This conversation is especially significant as Pennsylvania looks to strengthen its competitiveness in tech-forward, engineering-intensive sectors. By aligning policy with practice, and education with employment, we can create a more resilient talent pipeline—one that keeps our best and brightest right here in the Commonwealth.
The Summit will also feature a panel titled, “Refreshing the Brand: Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineering Talent,” focused on best practices for marketing engineering careers to students, as well as discussions with state policymakers. Attendees will gain valuable networking opportunities, engage in timely conversations and glean insights from engineering leaders and educators. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas and new connections to help drive innovation and workforce development in their own organizations.
Whether you’re an engineer, educator, policymaker or skilled trade professional, this event is for you. Join us to learn, collaborate and be part of the solution to Pennsylvania’s engineering workforce challenge.
Register today and help us shape the future of engineering in Pennsylvania.
Frank Flaherty is Vice President, Chief Engineer for Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems C6ISR line of business.