Corporate & Foundation STEM Programs
Why Aerospace Companies Fund STEM
Every major aerospace company runs K-12 STEM programs — and it's not philanthropy. It's pipeline building. The aerospace industry faces a workforce crisis: tens of thousands of engineers, technicians, and pilots are retiring faster than they can be replaced. Companies that don't invest in the next generation won't have one.
The result is an extraordinary ecosystem of free programs funded by billions in corporate investment. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, Airbus, Blue Origin, and Aerospace Corporation all run programs that give K-12 students access to real engineers, real technology, and real career pathways — at no cost.
These programs range from coding competitions and mentorships to multi-year scholarship pipelines. Some are single-day events; others are two-year commitments that end with internship offers. All of them are designed to identify and develop students who might become the next generation of aerospace professionals.
Every program on this page is free. Corporate STEM programs are funded entirely by the sponsoring company or foundation. If a program asks you to pay, it's not one of these.
Program Directory
| Program | Sponsor | Ages/Grades | What It Offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing STEM Education | Boeing | Grades 6-12 | FUTURE U. virtual field trips and extended-reality experiences through Discovery Education. Boeing Academy at Museum of Flight (Seattle) runs camps and courses. $300M+ invested in global STEM education. |
| Lockheed Martin STEM | Lockheed Martin | High school | Code Quest annual programming competition at 27+ sites (Java, Python, C#, C++). Top performers eligible for paid HS internships. Generation Beyond curriculum reaches 3M+ students. $40M+ STEM investment. |
| Northrop Grumman Foundation | Northrop Grumman | HS juniors/seniors | High School Involvement Partnership (HIP): two-year mentoring with NG scientists/engineers. Completion earns partial college scholarship (renewable 4 years) and internship eligibility. 50+ years running. |
| RTX STEM Programs | RTX (Raytheon) | K-12 | $500M over 10 years. Connect Up STEM curriculum in 5,400+ Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. SMASH partnership with $40K scholarships. Girls Who Code sponsorship. MathMovesU middle school initiative. |
| Airbus Foundation | Airbus | Ages 8-18 | Discovery Space digital learning platform (multilingual). Little Engineer robotics workshops in 30+ countries. Flying Challenge hands-on program for at-risk youth. Moon Camp design challenge with ESA. |
| Blue Origin Club for the Future | Blue Origin | K-12 | Postcards to Space — draw a postcard, Blue Origin flies it to space, stamps it, returns it. K-12 STEAM lessons and educator resources. $19M in grants to 73 space education organizations. |
| Aerospace Corporation | The Aerospace Corporation | K-12 | STEM outreach focused on underrepresented groups. Partners with MESA, SHPE, SWE, and NSBE for student programming. Employee volunteer program brings engineers into classrooms. Education and Outreach annual events. |
How to Access These Programs
Corporate STEM programs work differently than school-based programs — most require you to seek them out. Here's how to find and access them by grade level:
Elementary and middle school (grades K-8):
- RTX Connect Up — if you're in a Boys & Girls Club, the STEM curriculum may already be available. Ask your club director
- Blue Origin Postcards to Space — no application, no age minimum. Draw a postcard and mail it in
- Boeing FUTURE U. — ask your teacher to use the free virtual field trips in class through Discovery Education
- Airbus Little Engineer — check the Airbus Foundation website for workshops in your area
High school (grades 9-12):
- Northrop Grumman HIP — apply as a junior. This is a two-year commitment that ends with scholarship money and internship eligibility. One of the most valuable programs on this list
- Lockheed Martin Code Quest — if you code in Java, Python, C#, or C++, this is a direct pipeline to paid internships at the world's largest defense contractor
- Aerospace Corporation events — check their website for STEM events, particularly if you're a member of MESA, SHPE, SWE, or NSBE
Teachers and parents:
- Most of these programs have educator portals with free curriculum materials, lesson plans, and classroom activities
- Boeing, RTX, and Airbus specifically design resources that any teacher can use — no aerospace background required
Also see: Government STEM Programs & Summer Camps for free programs from NASA, FAA, DoD, and the Air Force — complementary to the corporate programs listed here.