Bill Text: NJ AR146 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges institutions of higher education in the State with undergraduate engineering programs to offer major in aerospace engineering.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-07-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [AR146 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR146-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges institutions of higher education in State with undergraduate engineering programs to offer major in aerospace engineering.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging certain institutions of higher education to offer baccalaureate degree programs in aerospace engineering.
Whereas, A 2011 report on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce indicates that New Jersey will demand a total of 248,250 STEM jobs by 2018, up from 223,190 in 2008, and about 93% of the predicted jobs will require postsecondary education and training; and
Whereas, An aerospace engineer designs aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles, which are some of the critical components of national defense, and is employed primarily in analysis and design, manufacturing, research and development industries, and by the federal government; and
Whereas, According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for an aerospace engineer in 2012 was approximately $103,720; and
Whereas, The job outlook for aerospace engineers is projected to increase 7% between 2012 and 2022; and
Whereas, New Jersey's institutions of higher education offer some of the top engineering programs in the region and nation, yet do not offer an undergraduate major in aerospace engineering; and
Whereas, The lack of an undergraduate aerospace engineering program at the institutions of higher education located in the State means that a high school graduate who wants to pursue this course of study must leave New Jersey to enroll in an out-of-state institution that offers the program, contributing to New Jersey's status as the national leader in the out-migration of students; and
Whereas, According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, in fall 2008, 31,510 high school graduates left New Jersey to enroll as freshmen at four-year institutions of higher education, while only 4,167 arrived to enroll as freshmen at four-year institutions in the State; and
Whereas, An institution of higher education in the State with an undergraduate aerospace engineering program would encourage New Jersey high school graduates who want to study aerospace engineering to stay in the State, encourage out-of-State students who want to pursue this major to enroll in institutions in this State, increase the number of highly-skilled workers able to pursue the high-paying jobs available in the field of aerospace engineering, and spur the State's economic growth by encouraging aerospace engineering industries to locate in New Jersey to take advantage of an educated workforce; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Institutions of higher education that have engineering programs are urged to establish an undergraduate degree program in aerospace engineering in order to: encourage New Jersey high school graduates who want to study aerospace engineering to attend an institution of higher education in the State; attract out-of-State students who wish to pursue this course of study to enroll in an institution in this State; increase the number of highly-skilled workers able to pursue high-paying jobs available in the field of aerospace engineering, and spur the State's economic growth by encouraging aerospace engineering industries to locate in New Jersey to take advantage of an educated workforce.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the presidents and governing boards of each four-year institution of higher education in the State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges institutions of higher education in New Jersey that have engineering programs to establish an undergraduate degree program in aerospace engineering. The lack of such an undergraduate degree program in New Jersey means that a high school graduate who wants to pursue this course of study must leave his home State to do so. The development of an undergraduate degree program in aerospace engineering would encourage New Jersey high school graduates who want to study aerospace engineering to attend an institution of higher education in the State, attract out-of-State students to New Jersey, increase the number of highly-skilled workers able to pursue the high-paying jobs available in the field of aerospace engineering, and spur the State's economic growth by encouraging aerospace industries to locate in New Jersey to take advantage of an educated workforce.
A 2011 report on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce indicates that New Jersey will demand a total of 248,250 STEM jobs by 2018, up from 223,190 in 2008, and about 93% of the predicted jobs will require postsecondary education and training. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median salary for an aerospace engineer in 2012 was approximately $103,720, and the job outlook for aerospace engineers is projected to increase 7% between 2012 and 2022. While New Jersey's institutions of higher education offer some of the top engineering programs in the region and nation, none offers an undergraduate major in aerospace engineering.
