Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • November 30, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com CT firm's flight simulators reshape STEM education By Matthew Broderick Special to the Hartford Business Journal I f Jay LeBoff had been better at video games, his com- pany may not exist today. But when LeBoff, creator of the STEM Pilot flight simulator, struggled to steer in his favorite racing game with his X-Box controller, he took a unique pit stop in 2004 by creating a surround- sound simulated race car. "It had a steering wheel and pedals," said LeBoff. It also had commercial potential. In 2005, at the Consum- er Electronics Show in Las Vegas, he won the Editors' Choice Award for Product Innovation. "The next day, I was in the simulation business," LeBoff said. And he — and his company, Waterbury-based STEM- Pilot.com — have never looked back. In fact, within a year LeBoff was back in Vegas with a flight simulator prototype for his line of simulator products, which have since been sold to clients ranging from the military to universities and community colleges. And while those clients have helped LeBoff's company grow to generat- ing nearly $1 million a year in revenue, he sees an even bigger — and more lucrative — market for his simula- tors: primary and secondary schools. In fact, LeBoff has created a school-based curricu- lum to accompany his flight simulators, which he says provide hands-on experiences for young learners. The simulators are now being used in Greater Hartford. "Our program is designed to apply math and sci- ence from the classroom in a meaningful project-based learning activity," LeBoff said. "This approach aligns well with common core [federal education standards] and next-generation science standards." Generating interest in science, technology, engineer- ing and math (STEM) among primary and secondary stu- dents is important, LeBoff contends. "We need to get kids started early [with hands-on math and science learning]," he said, "or we'll have intellectuals who can't do anything." According to recent figures from the National Math & Science Initiative, a private-public partnership cre- ated to address the decline in students prepared for STEM careers, there were 26 industrialized nations whose high school students outperformed U.S. students in math and 19 nations in science. And while math proficiency among elementary and middle school students has been increasing incremen- tally over the past quarter century, only 42 percent of U.S. fourth graders were advanced (8 percent) or proficient (34 percent) in 2013; among eighth graders it was 9 percent advanced and only 27 percent profi- cient, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Bryan Holmes, a science and engineering teacher at John Wallace Middle School in Newington, thinks that a big key to engaging more students to STEM programs is making the learning experience fun. In October, his middle school opened a $2.1 million Academy of Aero- space and Engineering — the first middle school in the state to offer a dedicated STEM facility. It features seven of LeBoff's flight simulators, known as edustations, which feature a 32-inch high-definition screen and plane components, including the yoke, throttle and rudder. "The edustations have catapulted both our student and teachers into the very exciting and fun world of learning to fly small planes, jets and helicopters while learning about science, math, engineering and more," Holmes said. Teachers are provided with curriculums, missions and worksheets, said LeBoff, which allow students to apply the principles of aviation. "There is a profound use of geome- try, trigonometry, physics, meteorology, geography, topog- raphy and astronomy with all the flight-planning tutorials," LeBoff said. "A simulated flight plan requires problem solv- ing, data, thoughtful planning and establishing outcomes; our goal is accomplished, creative thinkers." LeBoff's other goal is to sell more simulators, which retail from $3,500 for a base-model edustation to $25,000 for a six-screen display, combat simulator for military use. While his company is making headway with schools in Connecticut — including one simulator at Yale Uni- versity — he is focusing STEM Pilot's sales strategy and salesforce on the country's largest education markets, including New York City, Los Angeles and Texas. "The education market is very large," LeBoff said, noting there are more than 60,000 schools in the U.S. alone. LeBoff contends that no competitors are bringing simulator technology to STEM education and says his company has created an educational model for the future. Within the next three to five years, he expects his company to generate between $5 million to $10 mil- lion in sales annually. Eventually, he said he'd like to sell the company to a national educational curriculum provider to expand distribution. "Kids are lining up out the door to get in this pro- gram." LeBoff said. "We are getting kids interested in math and science when they're young in a way that's not just memorizing stuff." n Q&A Schools, biz develop next-generation workers Q&A talks about CT's workforce development efforts with Andrea Comer, executive director of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association Education Foundation. Q: When you started as executive director of the CBIA Education & Workforce Partnership, you said, "Strengthening our state's future workforce is critical to sustaining a vibrant economy." What are some of the steps CBIA is tak- ing to strengthen the future workforce? A: Our work is driven by indus- try needs and our member business- es and our programs reflect that. We heard, for instance, that students need to be exposed ear- lier to the workplace. In response, we now have a strong partnership with the Hartford Public Schools at the Academy of Engineering & Green Technology, a National Academy Foundation (NAF) school that has a business-led advi- sory board and pro- vides internships and project-based learning opportunities. Hartford students twice have built wind turbines for Nepalese villages, projects that have not only allowed them hands-on expe - riences to imple- ment what they have learned, but also to realize the impact they can have in the world. We also have programs that address specific industry needs such as transportation and logis- tics and manufacturing. Q: One effort the CBIA is involved in is the Clean Trades Program. It integrates energy efficiency, water quality, envi- ronmental quality, and other green efforts into HVAC, plumbing, carpentry, electri- cal and bioscience curricula. Why go green in these kinds of programs? Are we develop- ing enough future workers in these fields to meet needs? A: Connecticut has been focused on climate change for more than a decade, and this com- mitment has resulted in a demand for a skilled workforce. The Clean Trades Program exposes students to sustainability projects focused on energy efficiency, water quality, environmental quality, waste and recycling, and school-site environ- ment, all of which provide real- world experience in an industry that is expected to net more than 15,000 jobs by 2030. These jobs include energy auditors, technical sales and marketing, home-energy technicians, and solar-PV installers. Q: How long is the payback for efforts of these kind? For programs initiated in 2016, when can we start to see results? A: The payback depends on the program. For example, the alumni of the Academy of Engineering & Green Technology who have interned and graduated from col- lege are now working in the indus- try, some at the same company where they interned. Our work with the Workforce Solutions Collaborative of Metro Hartford, which pro- vides training in the transportation, distri- bution and/or logistics sector, has resulted in increased wages and promotions for incumbent workers and a career path for the unemployed. That said, we embark on this work recognizing that this is a marathon and not a sprint. We have an aging workforce and growing urban centers, but there's a gap from a skills per- spective. We must address that gap if we are going to be economically competitive. Q: What can be done to train the trainers? In effect, how will- ing is the business community to embrace new ideas in educat- ing the future workforce? A: The graying of the workplace has created a climate in which employers and educators are con- stantly collaborating on innovative ways to tackle this challenge. An example of this is our teacher- externship program, a partnership with the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Educa- tors spend the summer participat- ing in workplace experiences that reinforce the alignment between curriculum and current workplace practices. These projects allow teachers to gain insight on lean processes, quality management and continuous improvement — skills employers have prioritized — and integrate them into their classrooms. Q: What states or even coun- tries are doing this kind of ANDREA COMER Executive director of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association Education Foundation Continued Jay LeBoff (top right photo, far right) is trying to create hands-on learning experiences for students by introducing flight simulators in the classroom, which provide lessons in science, engineering and other topics. FOCUS EDUCATION P H O T O S | C O N T R I B U T E D

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