Ventura County high school students will have enhanced educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) thanks to a new partnership between the Ventura County Office of Education and the Navy. At Monday night’s County Board of Education meeting, VCOE signed an Education Partnership Agreement with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD). Under the agreement, NSWC PHD will provide training and equipment to students throughout Ventura County. 

“We are proud to partner with NSWC PHD to help give Ventura County students the skills they’ll need to find meaningful, well-paying careers in the modern workforce,” said Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. 

Located at Naval Base Ventura County, NSWC PHD employs approximately 1,800 military and civilian personnel who design and develop high-tech systems used on naval ships. As part of the new agreement, NSWC PHD will help develop coursework, provide instruction and coordinate demonstrations at its facilities.

“We are excited to share our expertise and equipment with local students,” said Capt. Cord Luby, the Commanding Officer of NSWC PHD. “It’s a win-win for the students and local employers who are seeking qualified workers with skills in science and engineering.”

The partnership between VCOE and NSWC PHD began paying dividends even before it was official. NSWC PHD recently approached VCOE about an experiment in which an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) would be created from scratch aboard a naval ship using a 3D printer. VCOE provided the UAV equipment, and the instructor from the VCOE Career Education Center’s unmanned aerial vehicle course provided the training to naval personnel. The experiment was a success, with a quadcopter UAV being printed, assembled and flown from the USS Essex.

Photo Information: Ventura County Board of Education President Dean Kunicki shakes hands with Capt. Cord Luby, Commanding Officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division at Monday’s meeting of the Ventura County Board of Education in Camarillo.