Strong STEM pipeline of talent needed for future innovation

Marillyn Hewson, (centre back row) meets with Actua’s Youth Council at the Lockheed Martin Canada IMPACT Centre.

Ottawa, Canada, Nov.15, 2016 – Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), participated in a technology demonstration event at Lockheed Martin Canada’s IMPACT Centre today. Leading the technology demonstration was Actua’s newly established youth council, made up of eleven high school students.

Hewson engaged in an interactive virtual reality demonstration organized by Carleton University and then participated in a round-table discussion with the students. She discussed opportunities to inspire youth engagement and commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. She also commended Actua’s CEO, Jennifer Flanagan for the important role she is playing in bridging the STEM skills gap in Canada particularly to indigenous communities.

Flanagan led the round table discussion between the youth and Hewson. She had this to say about the importance of engaging youth in STEM:  “The opportunity cost of not increasing support for youth engagement in STEM will be directly reflected in the innovation outcomes for Canada. We must engage diverse youth to achieve our full innovation potential in Canada - this includes specific and ongoing efforts to engage girls, Indigenous youth, youth living in rural and Northern communities and youth facing socio-economic barriers. Actua is proud to partner with companies such as Lockheed Martin Canada that are genuinely committed to building the next generation of STEM innovators.”

The highlight of the event was a Q and A session in which the youth were able to ask Hewson questions about her own career, space exploration and about the role industry can play in harnessing youth innovators to meet the demands of the future.

Lockheed Martin Canada first partnered with Actua just over a year ago when its employees participated in an Actua-led mentorship event that spanned four provinces delivering inspirational STEM activities in Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax with Lockheed Martin Canada employee volunteering as mentors. 

About Lockheed Martin Canada

Lockheed Martin Canada, headquartered in Ottawa, is the Canadian-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company employing 98,000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Canada has been Canada’s trusted defence partner for over 75 years specializing in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company employs more than 900 employees at major facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, and Victoria, working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

About Actua

Actua is Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics

(STEM) youth outreach network representing 34 university and college based members. Each year 250,000 young Canadians in over 500 communities nationwide are inspired through hands-on educational workshops, camps and community outreach initiatives. Actua focuses on the engagement of underrepresented youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Actua’s major funders include: Google Canada, Suncor Energy Foundation, the Government of Canada, GE Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Status of Women and Lockheed Martin. For more information about Actua, visit actua.ca.