As Director of Workforce Development at the National Center for Simulation (NCS) in Orlando, Florida and a PhD student at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Melbourne Florida, Lindsey Spalding serves as a modeling, simulation, and training (MS&T) workforce networking resource connecting educators, students, community members, and the High-Tech (MS&T) STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) workforce. Through team collaboration with industry experts that span across government, department of defense, academia, and private industry, Lindsey builds and facilitates authentic integrated STEAM learning opportunities designed to integrate MS&T tools, knowledge, and skills practice to strengthen STEAM teaching and learning. The MS&T workforce development goal is to provide a social learning network that facilitates the growth of a future workforce prepared to tackle and solve global challenges. Workforce development starts early in the MS&T workforce and continues for life. NCS provides STEAM learning programs for fifth grader students and teachers through our DoD (Department of Defense) STARBASE Central Florida program, which leads to the middle school programs which produce high school and college interns. Once students reach an elevated level of understanding and practice with MS&T subject matter experts, they are prepared to join the M&S (Modeling & Simulation) (Modeling & Simulation) certification program for entry level professionals which is led by a workforce development education committee to engage, prepare, and support the future generation in joining the high-tech, high paying MS&T workforce. As a lifelong learner, Lindsey values diverse learning experiences and works hard to use what she learns to engage, inspire, motivate, and support other learners through strategic scientific communication and facilitated MS&T workforce development practice.
