KERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

KEDF strives to ensure that Kern County's STEM industries, the most vital economic drivers in the current and future economy, have the workforce they need to be successful. In the process, individuals benefit as well, by becoming educated, trained, and employable in high-demand and well-paying careers.

KEDF has a variety of programs that address the STEM workforce issue, especially in terms of education and encouraging local young adults to establish their careers in Kern County. Our recently-completed Women in STEM Needs Assessment presents evidence that increasing the
number of women studying STEM-related topics and choosing to pursue local STEM careers
could positively impact our local workforce.

In 2018, KEDF partnered with the Buttonwillow Unified School District to pair women working in STEM careers with girls in 4th through 7th grades. The goal of the program is to offer girls the chance to learn about LOCAL careers they might not otherwise have learned about, and to create a fun environment for them to learn about STEM with their friends. The pilot project was created as a result of local research (conducted by KEDF) and a scan of nationwide data that identified opportunities for increasing the number of girls pursuing STEM education.

Local female STEM professionals spend time with more than 70 girls throughout the school year, providing an environment where learning about STEM is fun. The girls enjoy time with mentors on campus, and also on a variety of field trips to destinations beyond those normally available to students. For example, a trip to the Santa Barbara Zoo gave the students the chance to meet women working as veterinarians and zoologists, and to hear about their education and career paths. Another trip included a tour of THUMS Island, an off-short petroleum drilling operation near Long Beach.

KEDF's “sister" organization, Kern Economic Development Corporation, recruits businesses to Kern County and paves the way for existing local businesses to expand and create jobs. Business executives say their No. 1 factor when considering relocation or expansion is whether or not there is a trained workforce, ready to fill the jobs they create! KEDF's workforce development-centered programs support Kern EDC's efforts to support local businesses and those considering Kern County as their new home. The two organizations work hand-in-hand toward this goal.

KEDF has been in existence for nearly a decade, but the focus of the organization was re-calibrated in 2016. Since then, the STEMposium was introduced, gathering significant support from local businesses and schools alike. The need for this type of event was apparent. A Women in STEM needs assessment was conducted in spring of 2017, leading to a new Women in STEM Discussion Group Network (currently being developed). Workforce mentoring is a mature program of the organization, and it is continuing in two local high schools.