Donald E. Williams, Jr.

Williams: “Next Generation Connecticut” Will Provide Our Students Competitive Edge In a Global Economy

Senate President Donald E Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today joined with University of Connecticut students, faculty and elected officials at the State Legislative Office Building in support of “Next Generation Connecticut”—the proposal to enhance UConn’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs and position the university as a leading research institution.

Citing the need to better prepare students for jobs in precision manufacturing and aerospace fields, Senator Williams declared, “Our Economic future is linked to the training and opportunities students will receive at our State’s flagship university. “Next Generation Connecticut” will help secure Connecticut’s place in a national and world economy.”

Williams continued, “By providing scholarships to high school students enrolling in the STEM programs we can create a feeder system of talented and Connecticut-based students.”

The “Next Generation Connecticut” plan calls for the addition of 50 STEM doctoral fellowships and creation of the premier STEM honors program in the U.S.

Over the next ten years, the curricular expansion and focus on STEM is expected to attract $270 million in research dollars and $527 million in business activity.  The proposal will create 30,000 construction jobs and support 4050 permanent jobs.   Data shows that from 2000 to 2010, STEM jobs grew three times faster than non-STEM jobs, and unemployment in the STEM fields are 4.4 percent lower. Responding to the needs of business, “Next Generation Connecticut” will increase STEM graduates by 47 percent, turning out a workforce that is trained for real-world jobs.