ACE Mentor program collaborates with STEM Premier

Washington, D.C. — The ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program of America, the nation’s only design and construction industry-sponsored mentorship program for youth, is collaborating with STEM Premier, the first online platform solution that helps students design a career pathway, educators recruit top talent to their schools, and employers develop a stable, continuous talent pipeline. 

“The collaboration will offer ACE students expanded access to resources to assist in their pursuit of careers in architecture, engineering, and construction,” commented Thomas Gilbane, Jr., Chairman of the Board, ACE Mentor Program, and Chairman & CEO, Gilbane, Inc. “Students will be able to find assistance connecting to colleges as well as real-world opportunities and continue to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) -related careers.” 

“ACE Mentor Program is proud to partner with STEM Premier to offer ACE students–especially those under-represented in STEM–greater resources and more direct paths to opportunities within the architecture, construction, and engineering fields,” stated Jack Kalavritinos, President & CEO, ACE Mentor Program of America. “STEM Premier’s innovative on-line platform connecting students, educators, employers, and other stakeholders will help ACE’s thousands of students and alumni bridge gaps they may encounter designing career pathways to in-demand, well-paying careers.”

Expanding student access to STEM education is an issue of great importance in an increasingly global economy, where job growth in STEM fields promises to be critical.  Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce issued a recent STEM report projecting 2.4 million job openings in STEM nationally through 2018.  The report also stated that a STEM education has an impact beyond STEM-related fields, stretching across the entire U.S. job market and industries.

“Seventy percent of students completing the ACE program enter college studying an industry-related major.  Many are from underserved populations,” stated Tony Guzzi, ACE Vice-Chairman of the Board, and President & CEO, EMCOR Group, Inc. “With a presence in over 200 cities, ACE annually involves 2,200 design and construction professionals who mentor approximately 8,000 high school students during a 40-hour after-school program.”

“ACE attracts growing numbers of students who want to reach beyond textbooks and understand real world applications of their studies.  Scores of ACE alumni have returned to mentor new generations of students,” commented Peter Davoren, ACE Vice-Chairman of the Board, and President & CEO, Turner Construction Company.