Digital Promise Hosts San Diego STEM Pathways Community Showcase

More than 100 community leaders gather to explore innovative solutions for strengthening education-to-workforce pathways

Digital Promise’s Center for Learner Pathways hosted the San Diego STEM Pathways Community Showcase, bringing together more than 100 attendees including the San Diego STEM Pathways Community Advisory Committee, San Diego community members, and school leaders to showcase innovative solutions for strengthening STEM education pathways across the region.

The San Diego STEM Pathways initiative is part of Digital Promise’s broader mission to drive cross-sector transformation through community-led systems change, bridging the gap between learners and opportunity, education and workforce, and innovation and policy.

The event, held Monday, June 2, at the San Diego County Administration Center, featured the release of Digital Promise’s latest report, “Building Bridges: Cultivating Interconnectedness for STEM Pathways in San Diego,” and showcased community-driven solutions for advancing STEM education across the region.

“The San Diego STEM Pathways initiative represents an approach to education that ensures every learner is seen, supported, and empowered to navigate transitions and turn skills into opportunities,” said Jean-Claude Brizard, president and CEO of Digital Promise. “STEM-related jobs are the fastest-growing jobs across the region and are expected to grow by 30 percent over the next 10 years. By building partnerships across sectors and centering community voices, we’re aiming to create education-to-career pathways that reflect regional workforce needs and community values.”

The showcase featured presentations from key Digital Promise leaders, including Bianca Alvarado, director of the San Diego STEM Pathways initiative; Kate Babineau, director of research and systems at Digital Promise’s Center for Learner Pathways; and Peter Ross, managing director of the Youth Thriving Through Learning Fund. Babineau provided an overview of the newly released report, which serves as a blueprint for cross-sector collaboration in STEM education across San Diego.

At the heart of this work is the STEM Pathways Community Advisory Committee (CAC)—a diverse, 14-member group representing early childhood education, K-12, postsecondary institutions, workforce development, community-based organizations, and philanthropy. During the event, CAC members presented innovative solution concepts designed to strengthen and expand education-to-workforce pathways across San Diego. The presented solutions addressed key themes, including building early STEM confidence, supporting students experiencing housing insecurity, creating seamless transitions from middle school through career, and developing collaborative partnership networks.

“These community-driven solutions demonstrate the power of bringing together a tapestry of perspectives to address complex challenges,” said Bianca Alvarado, director of the San Diego STEM Pathways initiative at Digital Promise. “Developed by our community advisory committee, who collectively bring decades of invaluable experience in education, our approach centers on leveraging local community assets, industry knowledge, and educators’ expertise to create meaningful and culturally responsive STEM opportunities. With these emerging solutions, we see a unique opportunity to make a significant investment in the region’s future. They embody a shared commitment between committee members and the broader San Diego community.”

The showcase concluded with a celebration of the collaborative work being done to strengthen STEM pathways across San Diego. The initiative aims to promote lifelong learning and economic mobility by ensuring equitable access to high-quality STEM learning and future economic opportunity for all San Diego students.

For press inquiries about the San Diego STEM Pathways initiative, please contact Crystal Williams.