For more than a decade, Lockheed Martin, a PLTW Transformative Partner, has supported the PLTW Grants program, expanding access to high-quality STEM curriculum for students and teachers across the U.S. Since 2014, Lockheed Martin has donated approximately $12 million to PLTW Grants, giving more than 136,415 students exposure to STEM learning and career exploration and supporting more than 1,735 educators in attending PLTW’s transformative professional development experiences.
The partnership goes beyond vital grant support and includes a high school internship program for PLTW students that has led to full-time job offers with the company for select participants. Over the years Lockheed Martin has awarded college scholarships to PLTW students and connected engineering professionals with students through mentoring and volunteering initiatives. Lockheed Martin has sponsored several PLTW Summit events, provided financial support for strategic priorities that improved user experiences for PLTW students and teachers, and their employees participated in the curriculum advisory committee that oversaw updates to PLTW’s Aerospace Engineering course.
“Lockheed Martin's long-standing support of PLTW is a great example of the impact our Transformative Partners make,” PLTW President and CEO Dr. David Dimmett shared. “Their financial support to expand access and grow PLTW programs across the country is noteworthy, and their commitment to our philanthropic mission runs much deeper. The opportunities they provide in and out of the classroom offer real-world experiences, career connections, and tremendous opportunities for PLTW students and educators. I am grateful for Lockheed Martin’s holistic approach to supporting the important work we do.”
The successful partnership between PLTW and Lockheed Martin has led to PLTW alumni transitioning to employees– alumni like Aubrey Baker.
Aubrey Baker is an aeronautical structural engineer at Lockheed Martin (or as Aubrey says, she designs the bones of fighter jets). Her journey to Lockheed began in a PLTW classroom in Frisco, Texas, where she completed five PLTW courses throughout her four years of high school, including the Aerospace Engineering course. She went on to University of Texas at Austin where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering, graduating with the class of 2023.
During college, she had the opportunity to intern at Tesla and SpaceX. During her senior year, she interviewed with Lockheed Martin and began her engineering career following graduation. In her short time with Lockheed Martin, Aubrey has already received a promotion that moved her to the company’s facility in Marietta, Georgia, where she is also pursuing a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. In her spare time, Aubrey loves to cook – saying “the intersection of science and cooking fascinates me.” She also enjoys pickleball and yoga.
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Aubrey to answer a few of our questions!
What were some of your most memorable experiences from PLTW?
My most memorable PLTW experience was working on the capstone project. My partner and I developed a portable alarm system that prevents vehicular heatstroke from occurring to infants. Looking back at pictures and videos of our final product, I still can’t believe that we made something that could be critical in saving a child’s life. I will always remember putting the hardware together and hearing that first alarm sound function-from not knowing how to utilize a breadboard at all, to creating a functioning alarm system with sensors, and Arudino, and 3D-printed encasing. So rewarding!
How do the knowledge and skills you gained in PLTW translate to your career today?
By taking PLTW classes, I learned problem-solving skills, technical skills, teamwork, and much more. PLTW emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving, which are crucial in any engineering or STEM setting. The ability to tackle complex problems, think critically, and develop innovative solutions are essential in my role.
The PLTW courses cover a variety of technical subjects such as engineering principles and computer-aided design (CAD). These foundational skills are directly applicable to the technical tasks that I perform in my day-to-day job. As a structural airframe designer, I utilize CAD every single day. Luckily for me, working with new CAD software at work has been smooth sailing since I had the privilege of being exposed to it at such a young age– freshman year of high school.
In addition, PLTW projects often involve teamwork, mirroring the collaborative nature of engineering projects at Lockheed Martin. Working effectively in a team, communicating ideas, and integrating feedback are vital skills in your professional environment. Not one single person can design, build, and fly a fighter jet, so we have to work together to achieve the same goal.
What do you love most about your current job?
I love being able to say that I have contributed to the design of some of the world’s leading military defense technology. I can apply my engineering skills that I started learning in high school to solve complex challenges and create advanced structural solutions.
What challenges have you faced in your pursuit of a STEM career?
I’ve had teachers, mentors, and friends tell me that I’m not fit for a job as an aerospace engineer for multiple reasons. After being accepted to UT Austin, I excitedly announced the news to one of my high school teachers. He suggested that I don’t go to UT so that I could be closer to home and receive more help from teachers at a smaller university. I knew that a top 10 undergraduate aerospace engineering program wouldn’t be so highly ranked if it lacked student academic support. Even though I was further away from home, I stuck with it, explored a new city, and found the support that I needed when I struggled with academics. Mentors suggested that I shouldn’t major in such a specific field and pursue a broader degree such as mechanical engineering to optimize my career opportunities. I considered this advice but ultimately studied aerospace engineering because I’ve known since the age of four that this is the industry that I want to be in. I had a friend tell me that his cousin had to drop out of aerospace engineering because the coursework was so challenging. Even though this scared me and made me question if I really belong in such a discipline, I thought to myself, There are already thousands of female aerospace engineers that have graduated and are successful. If they can do it, so can I.
I remember going to the career fair as a (college) freshman and immediately getting turned away because I was just a freshman. Many of my peers found this discouraging, but I used it as an opportunity to ask my potential employers what I could work on during the next year to better my chances at the next career fair. Even though I had no luck with internships freshman year, I persevered and continuously applied to internships my sophomore year. After implementing the advice recruiters and mentors had suggested to me, I landed interviews with prestigious companies and was able to start gaining real-world engineering experience.
What advice would you give to K-12 students who are considering a career in STEM?
My best advice is that even if you’re considering a career in STEM, try a couple classes with different specializations and find a mentor that genuinely wants to help you find your passion within the industry. Don’t knock it until you try it and really understand what the field can offer you. Finding a mentor within the industry of your interest will help you discover a passion sooner and get you in contact with the right people to advise and optimize your chances of landing your dream job. I am always grateful for the knowledge and experiences I gained through PLTW, and I am thankful for the opportunities it has provided me.
