Neel Mehta
Siemens will invest $1 billion in software grants for manufacturing programs in seven community colleges, universities and education centers in Virginia, giving students access to the same tools used in real-world factories around the world.
“Manufacturing is the most sophisticated, forward-looking and innovative business function in the world today, and we need to let students, parents and administrators know what these jobs look like and what students need to learn in order to get them,†Eric Spiegel, president and CEO, Siemens USA, said Wednesday.
“This partnership can serve as an economic catalyst for the region, the state and the country,†he added.
The company’s product lifecycle management software is used to design, develop and manufacture products for a number of industries, including automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding and high-tech electronics.
The grants aim to help commonwealth schools better prepare graduates who want to pursue careers in technology industries by providing relevant training, skills and techniques in computer-aided design, engineering simulation, industrial design, digital manufacturing and manufacturing management, Siemens said.
Virginia is home to a number of industrial employers such as Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ shipbuilding division in Newport News and Rolls-Royce in Reston.
