U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, is sponsoring legislation he said would transform St. Louis into the nation’s “defense technology capital.” The bill would provide federal dollars to help develop a geospatial workforce in St. Louis.
“We have funding for (the bill), $5 million to get better alignment now with our colleges and universities, so that their curriculum reflects what that workforce of the future might look like,” he said. “All of these things are kind of working together, and I think these are the jobs of the future, and I think we’re going to fight for them, and St Louis is well positioned.”
Schmitt hosted a roundtable discussion in St. Louis this week with geospatial industry leaders to discuss his proposal.
“We’re very much interested in making St Louis the defense tech capital of the United States,” he said. “So, it’s about workforce, it’s about alignment, but ultimately, we have all the assets to go do that, and there’s a great ecosystem of small businesses, larger businesses, public private partnerships.”
St. Louis is home to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which is building a new headquarters campus on the city’s north side.
Copyright © 2024 · Missourinet